Beyond the worlds
by Medley Nightfallen
Summary: Even in another world, opposites attract. Levy couldn't explain why, but she couldn't help but follow Gajeel to earthland, after she made him fail an investigation, even if it meant living true hell. Edo-fic. Author: Yankee-chan
1. Once upon a ball

**Yo! Here's the new fanfiction by Yankee-chan about Edo-Gajeel and Edo-Levy: Beyond the worlds. I love this couple, even if I prefer the GaLe from Earthland. So I hope you'll like it.**

**I only own the translation and the mistakes (by the way if you see some mistake, could you help me to find them? More precisely the grammar mistakes. it seems that the fanfic Iron VS Words is full of them and I'll be ashamed to kill such a good story, or any of the ones I translate. Thank you). The story belongs to Yankee-chan and the characters belong to Mashima**

X_x

Only three weeks had passed in Edolas since the magic had gone along with the Exceeds and the mages who had defeated the king. From now on, Mystogan was the leader of the government, but he had a lot of work to do with the reconstruction of the capital, the revolts from the monarchists who wished Faust's return and the discontent of some people about living without magic was more than difficult. Even if there always had been a lack of magic in this world, people were used to use it, and being reduced to practices as ancient as making fire with hands was very hard. But they had to accept this, and the great majority of the population was motivate. And Fairy Tail that was considerate as a Dark Guild before had become the new official Guild of the kingdom and was helping all the people that came, no matter for what reasons, as the new king had ordered.

And precisely, in order to release the pressure, the whole Fairy Tail had been invited to a grand ball organized in the castle, this evening to celebrate the change of regime. Mirajane had self-proclaimed "Guild dresser" and had new-looked everyone. For the girls she had found beautiful dresses, even if most of them didn't want to wear them and were forced to by unknown way. On the other hand, for the boys, it looked like they were going to a costume ball with the different outfits she had bought. If we put Elfman, Jet, Droy, Macao, Grey, Max and Readers side to side, they were forming a rainbow. As for Natsu, he was wearing a candy pink costume that matched his hair. They were sure to get noticed, people would believe they were coming from the countryside for sure. It was a gala, not a party in a small lost village in the middle of nowhere!

And that's why everyone reluctantly walked toward the big party room of the palace. There were only people from the high society, on the other hand, they felt proud to be amongst them. The room was luxuriously composed: there were huge crystal chandeliers, and white silk curtains surrounded the big window from each side. There was also a cocktails bar and a buffet, plus the dance floor on the ground and the room was so large it was hard to see the other side. They were barely in that every members dispersed in order to search a partner to discuss or dance with. Mirajane absolutely wished that all her friends found a suitable partner. And if couples would create, she'd be the happiest woman, even if she was keeping an eye on the brown haired woman who was dragging herself with her brother. She was rather satisfied to see that everyone had something to do and that no one was bored. Everyone? Apparently not since Levy was sat on a chair and was glaring anyone who dared approach her. At first she didn't want to come, Mirajane had forced her when she threatened not to help her to finance her projects. Since the magic was gone, she had decided to open a kind of garage to help those who would have problems with their vehicles, but she didn't have enough money. Her friend had engaged to pay a part of the expenses only if she was coming to the party and if, for once, she was joining the others, so she had accepted.

Mirajane had nearly got killed when she'd given her a black low-necked dress and had proposed her to make her up, and despite her very cute face, she wasn't dancing and seemed sulking in her corner, her black headband with skulls clearly showing she was in a bad mood. Her eyes stuck to her, the young white haired woman made her way through the crowd and stood in front of her.

"You don't dance?" She innocently asked as she crossed her arms.

"Go to hell Mira." The other coldly replied.

Of course, her bad temper wasn't going to make things easier. The young blue haired girl contemplated with a murderous glare Lucy who was dancing with Natsu a bit further. She seemed to have fun. But for Levy, this place looked more like hell than like a party hall. But Mirajane was courageous, she wasn't afraid of the death. She grabbed her arm and forced her to stand, ignoring her insults. She just found the Prince Charming who could perfectly match with her friend, leaning against a wall and taking notes. Besides, she personally knew him and she knew he was single, which increased her excitation even more.

"Come with me, I'm going to introduce you to Gajeel, I know him well, he is super nice! I'm sure you'll become good friends, you'll see!" She chatted, with such a speed that it was almost incomprehensible, even if her blue haired friend didn't listen at all and was trying to go away from her instead, grousing loudly.

"Mira let go, I don't know how to dance and I don't wanna do it! I already made an effort by coming here, so let go of me and go away!"

But before she could escape, they found themselves in front of a tall man dressed in a black smoking, with a red tie, glasses, a hat and afro hair. Oh. My. God. Levy didn't have the time to open the mouth because the young woman did it for her.

"Hi Gajeel!"

"Mira it's not a joke, I'm going to punch you! The mechanic exclaimed, irritate by her supposed friend's lack of tact.

With all the noise, the man named Gajeel finally looked up from his notes. His eyes colored with a strange crimson wandered firstly on the young blue haired girl who stared back with hatred, and then he turned toward Mirajane with a beaming smile.

"Hey good evening Mirajane. I'm not surprised to see you here, how are you?"

He had a voice both cheerful and serious, with a touch of politeness that purely annoyed the blue haired girl who crossed her arms on her chest and pouted as she looked away, mumbling insults.

"I'm fine! And you? Still writing your articles?"

"Yes always. Even for such a large-scale party, I had to work a minimum, but I'm not gonna complain."

It was at this moment that things got worse. Levy could have tear the young woman's arm that refused to let go, but she contented to grunt as she stared at her, her gaze filled with threats.

"Let me introduce you Levy. She's a friend of mine, the poor girl, she felt sad because no one want to dance with her."

"I? Sad? Are you kidding me? I don't wanna dance with all those morons!" The young blue haired girl replied, cut to the quick by her words.

Now it wasn't her hand anymore, but her foot she wanted to use. She furiously wanted to crush, to stamp and to break into ashes her supposed friend's foot to get revenge for the terrible blow she just realized. She was going to roar when they'll go back to the Guild, she absolutely guaranteed it. With his never-fainting his smile, the young man removed his hat and bowed in front of her, and it made her wince.

"Dancing doesn't bother me on the contrary, this is why I was invited here in the first place, I can do it for you."

Mirajane skipped with cries of joy, happy to have brought her two friends together. She literally pushed the young girl in the boy's arms then ran away to find other couples she could form but keeping an eye on them to check that everything was alright. No, everything was not going to be alright, Levy was about to burst in furor. Slowly Gajeel caught her hand, placed the other on her waist and she reacted almost immediately.

"Watch where you put your hands dude." She growled.

And what annoyed her was that instead of replying, he smiled with a amused look and stated:

"I never had this kind of thought, don't worry, taking advantage of you like this hadn't even crossed my mind."

"What do you mean? I'm not good enough to make someone want to take advantage of me, that's it?"

"Of course not, I never said that. Instead of yelling nonsenses, look at your feet."

She was speechless. He was the first man she was meeting who was challenging her like this, and who managed to remain diplomatic at the same time. Even the most courageous guy would have give up a long time ago. So why not him? She narrowed her eyes and hissed between her teeth:

"Pray that I don't crush one of yours instead."

A faint chuckle that made her enraged escaped his throat and she came to the conclusion that she didn't understand this guy once and for all. He brought her on the dance floor with a disconcerting ease and skillfully leaded the young girl who was stiff like a post.

"Is it the first time you're dancing?" He kindly asked as he placed Levy's valid hand on his shoulder.

She growled and disdainfully turned her head. It wasn't as if no one never had invited her to dance, anyway she never wanted either. By the way, new source of annoyance, she was shorter than him and was forced to look up to talk to him. His encouraging smile just made her want to punch him. She had to calm down, she wasn't going to get enraged in front of everyone for nothing. So she sighed and focused on what she was doing, not really enthusiastic at the idea of making herself a fool. Fortunately for her, Gajeel managed the situation expertly. Annoyed by his eyes still on her, she blushed and avoided his smart and friendly gaze. If only she could make him eat his glasses, to make him understand how embarrassed he was making her feel. This situation just made her want to punch something to unwind and to calm her nerves. With the faint glance, she discretely observed her little hand that held awkwardly the young man's. A lot of people already told her that her hands weren't made to fiddle machines and that she should use them to do something else, but she'd screwed them. She remembered all this, noticing the difference between herself and him. Why were the girls always considerate like the weak ones? This subject really enraged her. Even if this problem had nothing to do with what she was living now, and despite her silent interrogations, she had to admit she was feeling pleasure to dance for the first time. Even if she didn't clearly show it. Led by the music, both of them slowed down their pace when the song began to ended, before they completely stopped. He let go of her just after and bowed one more time in front of her.

"Well, it was interesting." He declared with an half-smile.

Levy wanted to tell him to shut up but she suddenly noticed that Mirajane made her way through the crowd with majesty and was attempting to reach them with vulture's eyes. She wanted some news, no doubt about it. Fortunately for them, Gajeel noticed her too, and when he saw his new friend's annoyed look, he caught her arm and brought her further, avoiding quickly the young white haired woman.

"Come, let me offer you something to drink."

Before she could understand what was going on, she found herself sitting on a bar stool, beside the young man. At least, they didn't see Mirajane anymore. Levy sighed and leaned on the bar, watching with a critical eye Gajeel who took a little notebook and wrote conscientiously on it, however she couldn't read it. Then the barman arrived to ask them what they wanted to drink and left once they ordered. He came back later with a high-alcohol for her, and a coffee for him, and she pointed it out.

"You drink coffee?" She was surprised and had her eyes on the content of the cup.

He put his notes away and quickly adjusted his glasses on his nose, without abandoning his smile, before he answered her.

"Yes, I can't really stand alcohol even if I drink sometimes."

"But that's for squares!" The young girl exclaimed as if it was the first time she was seeing this.

"You shouldn't drink alcohol you know? I don't want to read in the newspapers, next to one of my articles, that you got raped in a dark street by a nasty character."

"No risk, it's rather him who'd be in trouble."

As she was speaking with this proud and provocative tone, she suddenly took a huge spanner from nowhere to placed it on the bar counter before the young man's stunned eyes. Ah he didn't say a word anymore now. The mouth open, he stared at the object with an interested eye and suddenly said:

"That's rare to see a girl who like engineering, but I think it's rather original."

He wanted to add something but changed his mind and turned his head slightly toward his cup with a strange smile. Levy narrowed her eyes, she felt he'd restrained himself to say what he wanted and she hated when people hid things. So she asked:

"You wanted to say something?"

For the first time of the evening her voice let show a touch of kindness, but coming from her it wasn't really good sign.

"No, no. It's nothing important, I swear." The other replied.

Her smile still on her lips, she caught her spanner and used it to strike violently Gajeel's hand. He muffled a scream of pain and collapsed on the counter as he tried to release his hand as she continued to press it with her tool.

"Tell me." She whispered as she pressed harder, eventually earning a yelp of pain from him.

"Okay, okay." He quickly added. "I was just thinking that I'd need a mechanic to fix my motorbike that I can't use since magic left Edolas, and it penalizes me in my work. Now would you please let go of my hand, it hurts!"

With a satisfied chuckle she released him and he immediately removed his hand from the counter, afraid she'd do it again. She saw he was restraining to say something, and smiled in triumph. If he'd insulted her, she'd have returned the favor gladly, too bad, but it only reinforce Levy's thoughts. He wasn't like the others. A normal man would have already hit her, but he didn't. She didn't know if she preferred stupid men who acted with their knuckles or smart and weak men, now.

"Give me your address." She ordered with a drawling voice.

"Why that?"

"Are you an idiot? I'll come at your home tomorrow for your motorbike, I'm going to fix it, I know what I have to do since I've already fixed that kind of vehicles with the same problems."

"You are not obliged to come, I don't want to disturb you and-"

"If I ask you this, it's because it doesn't bother me. Come on!"

He blushed but kept a dignified expression and scribbled as best as he could his address on his notebook, precisely because she had struck his hand he was used to write with, and he had a big red mark now. Then he tore his paper and gave it to her nicely.

"Thanks a lot." The young girl stated with a smile that told no goods. "See you tomorrow then, I let you pay for me, black sheep."

Of course, she had to say something about his haircut which was as weird as funny. At least, she was proud of the nickname she found for him. After this mocking sentence, she winked at him and stuck her tongue out, before she got up. He didn't even answer her provocation, but as strange as it seemed, his smile seemed to challenge her and, irritate, she kicked his bar stool, making him fall on the ground. She didn't even apologize and quickly left the room with a sadistic smile that attracted several glances toward her direction. Tomorrow was going to be a good day. Finally she liked him, his kindness was going to be his weakness, she could do anything with him, it was obvious. The poor Gajeel was going to suffer and Mirajane will be sorry to have introduced her to him.

X_x

**So? What do you think? Like it, don't like it? Why, why not? Please review!**

**Oh and to tbr: thanks for noticing the mistake ^^**


	2. Friendship is more complex than a motor

**Gihihi! Chapter 2! *happy with myself*  
>No time to talk, I have more translation to do. So... enjoy and tell me what you think please! ^^<strong>

**I only own the translation and the mistakes. This fanfiction belongs to Yankee-chan.**

**X_x**

After the ball, Levy had gone rather quickly, because since the beginning she was uncomfortable, then because it was getting late and finally because she got what she wanted. Erza Knightwalker was an ally now, the Guild transportation was useless now and she didn't need to spend her days to repair it. That was why she wished to open a garage in town, she hadn't really anything to do with Fairy Tail, but she still wanted to practice her passion. Fortunately, thanks to Gajeel, she could do it again, and she was intending to make him pay a lot to have enough money and make her dream come true. Even if she didn't really want to see him again, or be with him or talk to him, she couldn't wait to be at his home to work. But it was still too early, and she hadn't finished to install her firecrackers everywhere on the counter where Mirajane was usually working, in Fairy Tail building. She intended clearly to get revenge, and for this, she devilishly had trapped her workplace. She quickly created a time switch and connected it to a generator she made herself before she left the empty Guild. Maybe it was ten am, but after the booze from the evening before, everyone was still sleepy, except her. She locked the great door behind her and found herself in one of the main avenues of the town, already filled with people, then she took her time to go home. Every time she was going outside, she enjoyed to drag in the dark streets, just so she could beat some delinquents who were there. She was ready to do anything to prove those losers they didn't lay down the law, and also to prove to herself she was stronger than them. After having "cleaned" three streets in no time, she reached her house and entered to gather the tools she will need in a big rucksack, since she had just this for now. It didn't take long before she found everything, her flat was rather small and she had a spot especially reserved where she could dedicate herself to her passion, where there was the plans of different machines she had invented herself. She checked she forgot nothing and prepared to eat because her stomach was screaming to do so, and finally, she could go.

It was a little after one pm when Levy found Gajeel's house, after she had followed the indications he gave her along with his address. He was living in a little house which the front was white and rather ordinary. There was a little garden on its right, and a big apple tree dominated all. At first sight it was a nice place, pleasant and peaceful, however it was a paradox when we knew the burning activity of the capital. The young girl smiled, then sighed and drummed against his door, getting ready for what she had planned. Gajeel opened a little while later and his head appeared when she gave it a vigorous kick, in order to ended things quicker and making the most deafening entry. The result was instantaneous and the journalist was thrown inside his own living room, then he was greeted by a loud:

"That's not too early! I nearly waited!"

"Forgive me about it, it's just that with all this mess, it was difficult to move properly." he quickly apologized.

He stood and dusted and then catch just in time the young girl's bag she threw to him. He was wearing the same white shirt as the day before, rolled up at the level of his forearms, even if he hadn't his black jacket and his tie. Except that Levy didn't care about what he was wearing. Her arms crossed, her lips pinched, she was watching with a sharp eye the place where she was standing, ready to criticize. She was in a living room, composed by a long white leather couch, a low varnished wooden table and two armchairs, one was especially reserved for a desk covered by papers and books spread on it. By the way, speaking about books, the place was reminding her a library even if she never walked in that kind of place. Shelves full of books were fixed against the walls, simply separated by two doors, one on her right and the other in front of her, and the windows with close curtains that let a few sunbeams in the room, lighting it with an orange glimmer as if it was already the end of the day. There were books on the floor too, some placed in ragged piles and others half-open, and the room was smelling parchment and dust, as if she was in an antiquity shop. So, the remark was shot immediately:

"What a sense of organization!"

"Don't get it wrong, in my job I'm very organized, it's just that I have so many books that I have not enough place on my shelves for all of them, so they are dragging here."

"And you want to make me believe you've read them all?"

"Of course, I'm not a liar."

"Pff I don't see the interest, that seems super boring."

"On the contrary I think it's very interesting. But everyone had their own tastes, you're interested by engineering, I don't understand a thing about it and I think I would hurt myself and nothing more if I had to repair something."

She didn't answer and disdainfully glared at the shelves around her. Then with a devilish smirk, she suddenly took her most threatening tone and rubbed her hands, before she asked:

"Well, what if we talk about business now? Show me the cause of my presence here."

"With pleasure my dear! Would you please to follow me." He answered with a beaming smile.

He opened the door in front of her and with a gesture of the hand he invited her to enter, then the door closed behind her as she was walking in the room that looked like the kitchen. It was rather small, tiny comparing to the large room she just left, and it was difficult to move, mainly because, even here, books were everywhere. Levy was tempted to walk on them just to see his reaction, but she didn't, too excited at the idea to do some mechanics instead of showing her sadistic side to the poor journalist. So she gingerly stepped forward and passed the second door the young man had opened, and reached his garage. Gajeel turn on the lights and the first thing the mechanic saw was... books.

"Fuck there are books everywhere!" She shouted.

"Yes I know, I am a great reader." The poor man tried to defend himself with an embarrassed pout.

Fortunately for Levy, it was certainly the room that contained less. There was a small shelf where a few tools were resting and a chest of drawers in a corner. There was also a deckchair in a corner, he certainly put it in his garden during the afternoon. And finally, in the center of the room, there was his motorcycle. When she saw it, a greedily laughter escaped from her mouth and she licked her lips approaching to take a better look. It was the first time she saw that kind of machine. Gray and white, it had a weird shape, big and sharp. Stars were sparking in the mechanic's eyes, she already loved it and wanted to see what it could do.

"That's a real beast!" She exclaimed and rubbed her hands.

Leaning above it, she looked like a cat that got the cream with her huge smile, not to mention her widened eyes due to pleasure and excitation.

"This is an unique model, yes." Gajeel proudly clarified. "You better not know ho much it cost me, otherwise you would faint. You can understand that I prefer that someone fix it rather than I part with it."

"Of course, leave it to me." The young girl purred.

She didn't even listen to him anymore, completely hypnotized by the machine before her eyes. She wasn't disappointed, she had been right to come here. Impatient, she ordered Gajeel to bring him her stuffs, so he did without protesting and she finally could work.

"If you need anything, just ask me, I'll do everything you want. That's the least I can do since I am quite useless when it comes to reparations." The young man suddenly declared and received only a vague answer.

Everything she wanted? The poor Gajeel just dug his own grave. Since she was a sadist, Levy ordered him respectively to bring her food, tools she needed while she was taking the motor and the magical fuel tank to pieces, and even to massage her shoulders while she took a rest. And she was on cloud nine because he complied without flinching, like a slave. Despite everything, she allowed him to take a rest when she was finishing the last part of the work. She just had to replace the magical fuel tank by a mechanism, so the motor could function with the energy, and not magic. However, considering the motor complexity, she had to create something very resistant, or it wouldn't resist very long.

Suddenly liberated from the young girl's orders, Gajeel came closer and observed carefully what she was doing, writing notes on his notebook. Levy understood he didn't like that someone could see his notes since he was always standing in such a way she couldn't read it. While she was working, sometimes her eyes flickered toward him to see him writing at full speed and looking up to watch what she was doing before he wrote again. A slight blush appeared on the blue haired girl's cheeks and a strange warmth spread in her chest. No one at Fairy Tail never paid attention to her work. When she heard the young man ask her questions she felt really proud and had the impression not to work for nothing, to be finally useful for something. And suddenly she felt happy, even if she'd never say it, don't kid her!

She started the last part under Gajeel's intrigued gaze, then she stood and stretched one more time when it was finished. Now they just had to test if it worked, and that would be over. She moaned deeply, stretching her painful and numb back due to the long crouching position.

"I'm thirsty." She suddenly said.

"Understood, I'll be right back." The journalist answered with a beaming smile.

He stood, abandoned his notebook and his pen and ran in the kitchen along with the blue haired girl's sadistic laughter, she was definitively delight. No need to even give him real orders, neither to be polite to make him obey, she was appreciating this side of him more and more.

Once she was alone, she took the opportunity to watch her surroundings with curiosity, and her attention was caught by a pretty wooden frame that was protecting a picture, placed on a small piece of furniture. She stepped closer and grabbed it, narrowing her eyes when she recognized Gajeel with another man she didn't knew but they were strangely alike. They had the same eyes, the same skin color, the same face shape, and they seemed so happy... maybe it was his brother after all, why not? As she was wondering about this strange man's identity, Gajeel came back from behind with a weird smile, and he whispered in her ear:

"Little snooper..."

Immediately surprised, the young girl jumped, and in a pure instinctive defensive gesture, her elbow struck the young man's stomach and he collapsed on the floor with a slightly worrying sound.

"You ass! Don't ever do that again! You've got what you deserved!"

Fortunately he had put the drink he brought with him before he scared her, otherwise he would have spilled everything. He held his stomach and managed to breath only with weak gasps, the pain having bucked his legs. Levy forced him to straighten and gave him strong slap in the back until he could breath better. And by the way, she didn't apologize.

"Come on square! Breath, you'll be fine!"

"You seem to be a bit on edge, you should relax." He managed to say with difficulty.

"Yeah, yeah, but you didn't have to scare me! I told you, you deserved it!"

"Yes I know, forgive me."

_Levy McGarden_, or more precisely _how to make a man say sorry when she was the one at fault_. Gajeel straightened with difficulty, leaning against the wall, his legs still shaking while the young girl was peacefully sipping her lemonade drink (even if she had winced when she noticed that it wasn't alcohol). He blew deeply and rubbed his stomach before he declared with a faint embarrassed smile:

"I don't really like that someone search in my stuffs."

"I won't do it again if you tell me who's the guy on the picture." She said with provocation. She was nearly about to stick her tongue out.

"I doubt you are in position to make compromises. But if you insist... do you remember the mages who arrived at Fairy Tail a little while ago?"

"The kid, the Exceeds and the guy that looked like Natsu? Yeah I remember, they were Earthland mages. So what?"

"Well this guy on the picture is my double, the me from Earthland. And he's a mage too. It's not everyday we can meet our double, I had to immortalize this."

"Honestly? And when did you meet him?"

Stunned, the young girl leaned forward to take a better look at the photo and sat on her deckchair while he was sitting next to her.

"Oh our meeting had nothing in particular, he was looking for information, I was doing the same, and fate did the rest. I helped him to release his friends after."

His tone was proud and happy, a tone Levy didn't think she could hear from him, there was no doubt, he was certainly appreciating the other Gajeel. She was suddenly curious, and was listening his story with interest.

"What did you do to help him?"

"Well, I don't know if you remember, but the king wanted to accomplish a public extraction of magical power and had brought a part the huge lacrima that contained the Fairy Tail from Earthland in the city. I simply did my job as a journalist and I managed to extort different information from the guards, and I understood that the solution to allow my double to break this lacrima was based the north. So I sent fireworks into the sky to make him understand, making the guards believe the attack was coming from the north in order to send them at the wrong place. Do you see what I'm talking about?"

"Yeah got it, and you two did well, you fucked them all!"

She gave him a faint punch on the shoulder, more than delighted to know that those guards she hated had fallen for it hook, line and sinker. She gave him back his photo, her curiosity being finally satisfied and he stood to put it at its original spot. Then he added with a touch of nostalgia:

"Then he fought Faust, saved his friends and he's gone. I miss him a lot sometimes, because even if we aren't coming from opposites worlds we aren't fundamentally different, and he was certainly the only person who was appreciating me."

Levy didn't know what to say, she wasn't really that kind of girl either. So she chose another solution.

"Well! What if we check if everything I did works?"

"Very well, how do we do?"

"Just start it, we should know quickly."

The journalist nodded and left to take the keys, then he climbed on his motorcycle and started before the mechanic's careful eyes. He pressed the accelerator and the motor freshly repaired began to roar. They both smiled in unison, Gajeel because his motorcycle was repaired, and Levy because the motor's noise was music to her ears. If only she had a vehicle like this for only herself...

"You repaired it! Thank you!" The journalist shouted as he quickly reached her then he hugged her.

Before she could protest and punch him, he left the garage and came back a few seconds later to put a large amount of money in her hands with a beaming smile that could wrap three times around his face. The young girl's eyes widened in stupor. She had intended to make him pay a lot for the reparation in order to make good what missed for her projects, but with all the money he just gave her, it was more than enough, even Mirajane didn't have to give her money anymore.

"Er... Gajeel." She ventured.

"Don't you dare refuse this! Thanks to you I can do again what I like, so the least I could do is to pay you back, at least you can open your garage with this." He joyfully answered.

She was ready to bet that he was going to hop like a child. But... wait a minute...

"How do you know I'm going to open a garage?" The young girl suddenly exclaimed, suspicious and angry.

She approached him dangerously, as if she was going to punch him and he had the good idea to step back.

"Mirajane told me." The young man simply confessed and, for his greatest happiness, the young girl stopped.

"Ah... then it's okay. Er, thanks."

Her cheeks slightly turned pink due to her quick temper, but she wasn't embarrassed, far from it. She stayed a bit in Gajeel's house just to grab her tools and to finish her drink, then he politely escorted her to his door and thanked her again. She came back home with a weird feeling, very contradictory comparing to what she'd felt when she'd arrived. She suddenly felt happy, and had enjoyed helping the young man, she was beginning to appreciate him. After all, that was with him she had one of the longest discussions of her life, not to mention the fact she had been able to put up with him the whole afternoon as she often preferred to be alone. Did a kind of friendship create between them? Well, that was probable.


	3. Stop crying

**Finally I finished the chapter 3! ... so now I have to attack the forth ^^'**

**I have nothing else to say in fact, so I just hope you'll like it and tell me what you think again (and again and again ^^) And thanks for the review and faves and alerts, when I see one of them I can't help but smile ^w^**

**I only own the translation and the mistakes (blablabla everyone knows, let us read!). The characters belong to Mashima (we know!) and this fanfiction belongs to Yankee-chan (WE...! Who that? xD)**

**X_x**

Leaning against the bar of Fairy Tail, Levy observed with an immense joy her teammates' angry glances, they hadn't really liked the joke she did the day before. Her afternoon was starting wonderfully. She didn't like when people were staring at her like this usually, but today she was somewhat pleased with it and the intense satisfaction of revenge could be read on her face. Behind her, Mirajane was angrily washing glasses in her sink and her pretty face was sullied with a few scratches that told what happened.

The morning before when she had arrived to begin to work, the young white haired woman hadn't suspected anything, everything seemed normal. With a gesture shaped by the habit, she had cleaned her work surface and brought boxes full of drinks as she was waiting the first Guild members, ready to take their orders. And when noon came, peak hour, the nightmare had begun. She was concocting a cocktail she knew the secret while listening Bisca who was speaking about the night she spent with Alzack, when she'd heard a strange whistle. She had searched its origin, but unfortunately for her, she'd had no time to find it. With a loud explosion and high sounds that could pierce eardrums, around twenty firecrackers and fireworks had ignited and fluttered in the whole room, breeding panic and chaos, making chairs flying and breaking drinks. Surprised, Mirajane nearly had fainted. There was smoke everywhere and there was crackling sounds, so they had to evacuate the building. And everyone knew who was the responsible since only Levy wasn't in the Guild, besides, she couldn't help but pride herself on it since she was arrived half an hour ago.

With a fierce motion, Mirajane placed the alcohol drink she prepared for her on the burnt counter, covered with black marks, and the mechanic gave her an adorable angelic smile to thank her.

"Can I know why you did this Levy?" She asked with anger, piercing her with her glare.

"I wouldn't if you hadn't pissed me off with this party." The blue haired girl answered in a growl.

"You forget I promised to give you money if you behaved! That was our deal, you had to dance!"

"I don't care, anyway I have the money now."

Before the young woman's eyes, Levy showed her the money Gajeel gave her the day before for the reparations of his motorcycle. Now, her friend's money, she could refuse it with pleasure, she didn't own her anything now. Then everything could have been alright if it wasn't for Lucy.

"My! You certainly drugged him to take such an amount of money, unless you stole it. Because for a bitch like you, believe me it's quite expensive." The blonde snickered when she walked behind her.

In her fury, Levy broke her drink and the burning alcohol pierced through her body when it flowed on the grazes due to the fragments of glass. But she didn't show any signs of suffering, on the contrary, she stood and grabbed Lucy by the collar, a purely hateful expression on her face.

"Believe me Ashley, I don't know who's the bitch here. And I didn't steal the money, and I didn't sleep with him. I won it fairly, when I repaired his motorcycle, and that's why you're so pissed, because _you_ are the one who's forced to play the whore and to ponced around everywhere to earn your life."

Her voice was dangerously calm, but her other hand that tightened into a fist meant she wouldn't need words soon anymore.

"Considering the way you react, she must be right. Well I expected better coming from you." Jet suddenly stated to put his oar with a disgusted snort.

"Shut up Jet, it's not your business!" The blue haired girl replied. "I told you I won it fairly, why don't you believe me? Are you nuts?"

"Honestly, _fairly_ and _you_, it's incompatible." Droy chuckled, he always agreed with his male teammate anyway. "I'm sure you jumped at him in his garage, otherwise you wouldn't react like this, I must say that the truth hurts."

"Once I'll finish with this blonde I swear I'm going to make you eat those words, both of you!"

Levy was enraged, she was about to explode. So _that_ was the trust they have in her? If they really thought this, she could get rid of this trust. And why no one was taking her defense? Why were they looking elsewhere? Did they thought the same?

"See, I'm not the only one who think about it, you need to realize, pretty, we discovered the real you." Lucy snickered.

This was the straw that broke the camel. Levy spat an insult and punched her with a right hook, Lucy answered with a kick in the stomach and everything degenerated at full speed under the boys' encouragements who loved to see the two women fight, and especially when they tore their clothes. Determined, the two young girls didn't want to give up and each of them would fight until their strength were gone. Even if they had to scratch and bite. The blue haired girl was determined to inflict the maximum of pain to her fellow, and didn't refrain herself to pull out her hair. But Lucy was making her pay and didn't stop kicking her in the belly and the legs to make her let go. And since they had an equal force, the match ended on a level once more. Breathless, they stayed laying on the floor.

After a long moment, humiliated and enraged like never before, Levy stood when she managed to and left the Guild with rage under the mean and mocking whistles, wrapped in the last fragments of her dignity. Of course, with the reputation Gajeel had, everyone knew him and she knew they were going to laugh at her again for a long time. Her friends' words really pissed her off, just by thinking about them and their faces, she wanted to torture them and kill them slowly, to make those fuckers suffer as much as she was suffering right now.

She was angrily kicking the pebbles she saw, she was too disturbed and the idea that her teammates could think she could have slept with the journalist made her sick, she didn't even pay attention to where she was going. Maybe she was violent and sadistic, but it didn't prevent her to have principles and feelings. She hated all of them because of what they thought about her. She precisely felt the same the day before at Gajeel's: at Fairy Tail, no one cared about her, they never would have react like this of they were truly her friends. I couldn't wait for leaving the Guild and for getting rid of all those egocentric idiots. Quickly, she left the Royal City, but didn't go very far, preferring to stop at one of her favorite places, where she was going when she needed to be alone.

Diverting form the road on a few meters, she eventually stopped before the river that flowed next to the capital, and she sat against the trunk of a tree with a deep sigh. The water sound was strangely appeasing her when she was tormented, and that happened more often that she wanted to admit. Maybe she seemed strong by appearances, but what the others were saying reached her too, and she was capable to feel pain. She brought her legs against her body, wrapped her hands around them and placed her head on them. And without she wanted to, a sob was heard and she cried. Unlike what people thought, she was crying often, but the one who witnessed this moment strangely couldn't remember after, or he/she wasn't able to repeat it anymore. At least, she felt better after this, it had to be done sooner or later, as long as she was alone she could allowed herself to. That's why she often came here, this calm and appeasing place. She stayed here an indefinite time, observing the sun shining at the surface of the water between two sobs.

It was when a suspect noise broke the bubble she'd created with her loneliness. Suddenly she heard steps behind her and fear caught her throat, she absolutely didn't want to be discovered as she was crying. And she abruptly tensed when the voice that belonged to a person she absolutely didn't want to see in such circumstances rang in her back.

"What are you doing here alone Levy?"

Gajeel. Of all people she refused to meet now, he was the first one. She didn't want to talk to anyone, and certainly not to him, he had to go.

"Nothing! Go away!" She yelled without moving or looking at him.

"What's wrong? What happened?" The journalist looked concerned as he came closer.

Big mistake.

Levy stood with aggressiveness, grabbed his coat and pushed him with a disconcerting ease against the tree, enraged. He did notice she was crying but he hadn't said anything, and despite his tact, he was pissing her off like no one never did. Yes she was crying, so what? She didn't need him to witness that, it humiliated her even more!

"I told you to go away moron! It's not your fucking business, you don't need to know! Go away and get the hell lost before I punch you and make you eat your glasses!"

She was panting and her tears didn't stop streaming down her cheeks that were already riddled with them, burying her even more in her shame. Honestly, she was pathetic. And yet, she was able to look at him in the face, her eyes now as red as his. He didn't move, he just stared at her with intensity, as if he was expecting her to let him go, but when he realized she wouldn't if he remained silent, he suddenly decided to play the provocation game.

"Well go on, hit me. I won't hurt you back, I never hit someone, and I'd be unable to do this on a woman, but if it can help you, do it."

His voice was strangely calm, with no touch of fear. No matter how the young girl was trying to look as threatening as possible, her tears still betrayed her and she gritted her teeth in fury. With a calculated slowness, Gajeel's right hand caught the one that pinned him to the tree and he tried to loosen her grip but it was like her hand was made of stone. The mechanic's valid hand, but also her bloody hurt one, tightened until they formed fists, but before she could accomplish her motion, he firmly grabbed her wrist. He had a strength she didn't know he had and she didn't expect from him, because of his slim build, and he quickly managed to immobilize her.

She couldn't stand it anymore, this serious gaze that was deeply searching her soul, as if he wanted to find the cause of her distress. So, defeated, she looked away and let him go and finally a sob she hadn't want to make was heard, before she wiped her eyes angrily.

"You seem slightly susceptible today. I don't know what happened to you, and if you don't want to talk about it I can't force you to do it. On the other hand I think you absolutely need to forget the worries. If you're agree, we can go at my house to heal this bad wound on your hand then leave to go for a drive." The reporter suggested with kindness.

The young blue haired girl jumped and was honestly very surprised not to feel any resentment or nastiness in his voice when she nearly had punched him. He was just too nice with her. So she nodded, despite her conscience that called her an idiot. Here she was, like a little girl who need some comfort, she could have slapped herself.

"Come on, stop crying and come with me."

He gave her a handkerchief she accepted reluctantly, but when he wanted to wrap a comforting arm around her shoulders, she rejected him violently, still annoyed.

"I told you to watch where you put your hands, didn't I?" She growled.

Like when they were at the ball, he chuckled and obeyed, as a strange smile was spreading on his face, and he didn't lose it until they reached their destination. During all the walk, she didn't say a word, trying to regain her composure and acting like she had never cried. Then, arrived in front of his house, Gajeel opened the door, invited Levy to come in and followed her. The young girl was barely inside when Gajeel took her arm and brought her in his kitchen. Without letting her the time to protest, he turned on the cold water and put her hand under. Both embarrassed and annoyed, the mechanic looked up at him with the clear attempt to tell him to go to hell and to leave her alone, but he wasn't even looking at her. Focused, he was busy to check if she hadn't some fragments of glass under her skin and a blush gradually appeared on the mechanic's cheeks. After a moment that seemed interminable, he finally let go and she immediately brought her hand closer to her body.

"It looks alright, nothing serious and it doesn't bleed anymore. However caution is parent of safety and I still prefer to put something on it." He declared as he gave her a dish towel in order to wipe her hand.

Then he grabbed her again by the wrist, but this time they crossed the living room until his room where he began to search for the bandages in his medicine closet. Levy didn't say anything, conscious that no word could make him change his mind. She crossed her arms, leaned against the wall and observed the books that were also on the floor with a reproving glare. His bedroom wasn't different comparing to the rest, there was just a bit less furniture, only the bed, a bedside table and two chest of drawers. With curiosity, the mechanic innocently approached the one at her left. Gajeel was busy to search in the second one, and his back was on her. With a beaming smile, the young girl opened the drawer and saw something surprising. Indeed, he hadn't lied, he was very well organized when it came to work, since there were all his notes sorted out by date, or in alphabetical order before her stunned eyes. Captivated and curious, she wondered if she could find a document about her if she searched. She reached the hand toward the papers and when she was about to touch one of them, she suddenly heard a desperate "NOOOOO!" and Gajeel threw himself at her to close the drawer. Then panicked, he turned toward her as if she just committed the worst atrocity in the world.

"Hey relax, you don't have to react like that, it's just papers!" The young girl grunted.

"No, they are my notes, and no one can read them!" He screamed with anger, thundering her with his glare.

It was the first time Levy saw him like this, apparently she just found a weakness. All for the better, she could exert her sadism one more time.

"By the way you rewrite all this in your articles, why couldn't I read them then?"

"This isn't the same thing, I don't like that someone search in my stuffs, that's all!"

She grabbed him by the arm and pulled her away, then she opened the drawer again with a mocking snicker. Pushed by the young girl, the journalist fell on his bed before he collapsed on the floor, but he stood, rushed at her straight away and caught her arm, almost begging her not to watch. The mechanic sighed, irritated. She knew he wouldn't leave her alone as long as she'd be here, searching in his stuffs. She closed the drawer with a bang and suddenly turned around toward him, realizing with some pleasure he was embarrassed and blushing.

"I already told you, but you're cute when you're blushing." She joked and stuck her tongue out.

She vigorously tapped his cheek and made his hat fall as he watched her with a wrathful look, then she nonchalantly left the room before she spoke:

"Forget my hand, it'll be alright, let's go for a motorcycle drive instead, as you promised me."

"Very well, as you wish." Gajeel sighed as he followed her to the garage.

The young girl's behaviour wouldn't be different if she had been the owner of this place. Of course, she hadn't forgotten where the garage was and crossed the house at full speed, followed closely by the journalist who hurried to passed by her to open the door. He placed his motorcycle on the pavement and locked his house while Levy slowly approached his vehicle with hungry cat's eyes. Then he turned toward the young girl who was already leaned above the machine with eyes full of covetousness.

"Did you already do motorcycle before?" He asked as she approached.

"Who do you think I am? I'm a mechano, of course I did!" She replied, suddenly upset.

"With another person?"

"Er... No, alone."

Indeed, no one never invited her to do this, so how could he expect she'd done this with someone else?

"Here we go, sit down behind me."

She didn't answer and simply observed him sitting on his motorcycle then starting it. Like the day before, the noise from the motor made the young girl smile and she approached and sat reluctantly behind him. To tell the truth, she completely forgot this part. How something so essential could have got out of her mind? However, she absolutely wanted to go on a ride on his superb motorcycle, so she couldn't refuse and after all, there was nothing between them, don't get the wrong idea. She didn't do this to be with Gajeel, she didn't care about him, but she perfectly knew he was right and she needed to forget her worries.

She stayed away from the journalist for a while. Then with a great reticence, she wrapped her arms around the young man's waist and stuck to him, but however she made sure to keep some distance between them. She had the same face as if she just swallow half of a very sharp lime, and she immediately felt like she had a lump in her stomach when she felt his body against hers. She also felt her cheeks burning and reddening, so, eager to clarify the situation with him right now, she quickly added:

"I hope for you that you drive faster than all those fucking bourgeois who've scared to damage their tyre!"

"You have nothing to worry about, and about driving, I'm able to drive very fast, however I prefer to wait until we left the capital, security oblige."

Levy replied by a frustrated growl. She never had wanted to blush, nor to feel all these emotions, just because she was stuck to a man and was holding his waist. Fortunately he didn't see her face, he already had seen her crying, that was enough. If only her girl side that stood out in those embarrassed moments didn't exist! She didn't want to be a little girl anymore, she wanted to be the equal of the men, to show as strong as them.

She gave a faint sigh covered by the motor noise and held Gajeel a little tighter when he finally started. As he told, he drove at an honorable speed and speed up next, once the foothills of the town were behind them. The mechanic admitted despite herself that doing motorcycle with someone else was very different, and far better than when she was alone. She felt the wind that tousled her blue hair and the exhilarating impression to be driven at full speed without doing anything didn't leave her. The most they were advancing and she was feeling the machine humming under her, the most she was relaxing. She even eventually laid her head against the young man's back to observe the landscape that paraded. For now, they were following the road, the only thing that could be seen was the plain, a huge forest far off, and sometimes a few trees. But as she was staring at this view in such a way, Levy was almost finding it beautiful. Gajeel quickly glanced at her, amused, before he focused again on the road. The young girl wondered as she observed the back of his head how his hat could remain in place and not flying away despite the speed. The young girl didn't know how long they were drivings, but to her greatest surprise the journey seemed too short for her when Gajeel stopped.

"Where are we?" The mechanic asked and immediately let go of the journalist when he turned off the ignition.

"In a place that inspire me." He evaded with a mysterious smile.

He came down and placed his motorcycle against the lonely tree that was beside her before he joined her, hands in his pockets. He had brought them on a great hill that overhung the valley in which the capital was standing. In fact, it had been created by the fall of one of the islands that were floating in the sky of Edolas. Now, this strange world was composed of weird hills of the same kind, that almost looked like mountains. And since the plants growth was faster than in Earthland, it hadn't taken very long so they were all covered with grass and young trees, in such a way they didn't look like floating islands anymore. Below the one where they found themselves, they could see a beautiful landscape that spread to the horizon, composed of trees and verdant meadow, and a few lakes were sparkling in the sun. Far off, it was hard to distinguish the Royal City, but Levy managed to follow the way they had taken to come here.

"So? It's beautiful, don't you think?"

The young girl turned toward Gajeel, and since she had the intend to be sadistic at least once a day, she didn't answer his question but she disdainfully stated:

"Y'know you look like a girl when you marvel like that for a landscape? By the way, you've got the earrings already, but you forgot your make-up..."

After all, she didn't want to give him the satisfaction to hear she liked this place a lot, even if it was the case. The journalist chuckled and didn't answer, as usual. Instead he sat cross-legged and waited she did the same.

"Did I manage to make you forget your worries?"

"I'm tempted to say no just to pissed you off, but... yeah. I feel better."

Despite her concession, she wasn't ready to do more and thank him. And yet it didn't seem to disturb him in the least bit, on the contrary, he looked happy with himself. God, she wanted to strangle him with his tie to make his fucking smile disappear! Restraining her killing intends, Levy sat in turn on the grass and kept herself busy by cutting twigs while a long silence fell between them, mainly because they didn't know what to say anymore.

The mechanic sighed weakly and continued her little game not to have to eye up the young man stupidly, even if it didn't work very long and she gradually began to flicker at him. And doubt insinuated into her every time she did so. Maybe... maybe she should talk to him about what happened with Lucy. Gajeel had proved several times before he was reliable. But she couldn't confide in him, it hurt her pride too much, she didn't want to act like a little whining girl who rush at the adults crying at the slightest problem. Even if she deeply knew that she'd feel better after, her pride prevent her to do so. In fact... her pride wasn't against the opportunity to discredit her rival. _And then__, exceptions do exist, right?_ She thought, cursing her conscience that whispered those words next. Indecisive, absorbed in an inward storm, she glanced at the journalist beside her. He was writing on his notebook again. His focused look was following the traces of the pen on the paper. But here, she could see what he was writing. Frustrated, she pouted and leaned her legs against her body. She always had a great curiosity, and unfortunately she had to admit that a man like Gajeel, surrounded by so much mysteries, was attracting her irremediably. She felt the need to discover what he was hiding, to pierce his secrets. By the way, he made her admit a lot of things, she understood despite herself she didn't basically hate men, but she was jealous, because they'll always be superior. And this made her sick. But Gajeel wasn't like the others, she was the one who dominated since the first time they met. She could confide in him without taking any risk. Decided, she frankly turned toward him, took a big breath and began shyly:

"Gajeel..."

"Yes? What's up?" The said man automatically asked as she stopped writing.

"Before we left you asked me why I was crying. That was because of Lucy."

"Lucy Ashley? From Fairy Tail? What has she done to you to make you feel like that?"

"Yeah _her_. When she saw the money you gave me yesterday, she accused me to have slept with you to deserve it, and everybody agreed with her. So I punched her because I was pissed."

"The cuts on your hand are coming from it?"

"Among others... but she suffered more than me. We don't like each other, so we fight often."

After those paroles, Levy saw Gajeel revealing a weird grimace she didn't think he was capable of. He looked offended and annoyed, because of what the blonde had said too. He grabbed his hat and replaced it on his head properly, and he replaced his glasses on his nose. The mechanic guessed it was a kind of tic, because he did it very often . But her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the journalist's severe and wrathful voice.

"I know I'm almost always alone due to my reputation, but I'm not desperate to the point to have sex with the first girl I kind of like, that's excessive. I thought Lucy knew me better after all this time."

"_All this time_?" Levy suddenly repeated, she had registered this part better than the rest. "What do you mean by _all this time_? You're a friend of her?"

"I wouldn't say that, no. Let's say... she's just a acquaintance. Sometimes I give her some information, and in compensation she gives me info too. It's like an exchange of friendly services if you want."

"It'd be better for you that you're not friend with that blondie! You won't see me again otherwise."

"And this is absolutely not what I want."

Gajeel chuckled, he didn't know really, but he was wondering if there wasn't any touch of jealousy in her threat. And strangely, he couldn't help but hope that she was jealous. Because... Maybe that behind this jealousy she was hiding something else... maybe love? No! Here he was, analyzing the slightest of her words, just to convince himself she loved him! He slapped himself inwardly and shook his head, trying to reject these thoughts out of his mind. Except that Levy, she, didn't analyze his behaviour in the same way and, irritated due to what happened before, she stood and startled the journalist, then she exploded.

"You also think I'm a bitch that sleep with any fucking unknown guy? Come on say it!" She yelled at him, fists clenched, bright red.

Surprised, Gajeel stood in turn, frightened by her sudden anger. He had the good idea to move away slightly and took his time to answer. For once he was allowed to eye up a woman's outfit without being considered as a peeping Tom, he wasn't going to refuse the opportunity. His critical mind and his gentlemanly side fought during a few seconds as his eyes wandered on the young girl's clothes, only a miniskirt and an undershirt, not to mention her headband in her hair and her heels. Hands on her hips, looking pissed, Levy was waiting, stamping. Suddenly, the journalist felt a bit cramped in his clothes, and not only in his chest where his heart was banging furiously.

"Well... it's true that your clothes are a bit short, so that can generate some confusion." He declared shyly, sweating profusely.

The mechanic's eyes widened before they immediately narrowed next, and she came closer dangerously. Gajeel could read in her eyes very clearly he was about to win a slap, so he stepped back, waving his hands, and quickly added:

"But an idea like Lucy's never would have crossed my mind, after all if you like being dressed like this I have no right to judge you."

Levy came closer again and the journalist eventually bump into the tree where he had leaned his motorcycle. He was trapped. The young girl grabbed him by his tie and pulled him closer then she whispered in his ear:

"I hope for you that what you say isn't a jumble of bullshits, otherwise I'll make you have a hard time."

The young man nodded vigorously but didn't say a word and she quickly let him go before she went away, without looking away from him. She licked her lips with a devilish smile when she noticed he was blushing again then she turned away to observe the landscape, imitating a pure angel attitude. When she saw in the sky a big bird that seemed flying toward them. And precisely, she jumped and deviated with a small yelp when it landed just in front of her. The mechanic opened the mouth and narrowed her eyes then turned toward Gajeel who was now beside her.

"Oh, it's Horizon." He declared with an half-smile.

He knelt and the bird, a big eagle, approached him. Levy noticed it had a letter in his beak when it put it in the journalist's hand.

"Mind if you explain me what's that sparrow?" She grumbled, arms crossed.

"Well, with the magic disappearance, it's the only fast means of communication that king Mystogan found for now. And since he needs me... for some things, he tell me what I have to do in letters and Horizon brings them to me."

"This name sucks."

"I was the one who gave it this name."

"That's why I say it sucks."

The journalist took the eagle on his arm, then on his shoulder and superbly ignored the mechanic's remark, so she started sulking. However, the irritation was gradually replaced by the curiosity when he opened the letter, but of course, he didn't let her read. Then, when he finished, he scribed an answer on the other side of the paper and Horizon caught it in its beak before it flew away. And immediately, Levy moved into the attack when it disappeared into the sky.

"So what's in the letter?"

"Sorry Levy but I can't tell you, I refuse to put you in danger."

"Come on, you can fucking tell me, I know to keep a secret! No one will know and I won't be in danger!"

She was hopping and giving him puppy eyes, she saw he wasn't going to resist very long considering the way he was looking away.

"I can't talk about it, this is something I have to do alone, don't insist."

"Fucker." She snarled.

That startled him and he turned toward her, shocked by the insult, but she sat far from him in such a way that her back was at him, upset.

"Levy please, don't be mad at me." He begged.

He approached her but she didn't answer and growled instead. He wouldn't resist very long.

"Levy..."

"Tell me, I don't like secrets."

He sighed, defeated, and Levy held back a smile with difficulty. Looking annoyed, he sat once again beside her and declared, looking at everywhere but the young girl:

"It's been a month now Mystogan asked me to spy his father's gestures, the former king Faust, for him, because he began to act strange. I have to try to find what he's planning, and for this I pretend I am one of them, like a double agent if you want. I leave in two days at the end of the afternoon. Do you understand why I didn't want to talk about it? If you repeat it to someone, that risks to put me in danger, and you too. I hope you realize this now."

"This is more interesting. You little secretive black sheep, you hide a lot of secrets, don't you?" She chuckled with a beaming smile as she patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, I won't say anything, even if I think that would be fun to make you fail your mission just to see how you could get out of such a situation."

"Levy, I'm not joking!" He threatened with a serious voice.

"Come on! We can't laugh with you! Bring me back home now, I have stuffs to do." The young girl ordered , more than happy she managed to worm information out.

"Very well, but I'm counting on you to remain quiet!"

"Don't worry, I promise no word about it will escape my mouth."

She cheerily hopped toward his motorcycle and he followed her in a tense pace, because unlike her, he was furious against himself, he shouldn't have told this. He couldn't resist her and it wasn't a good thing, it had to change. Just like the outward journey, he sat on his motorcycle and started it, but this time the mechanic installed herself with less reticence behind him, and they left after having observed the beautiful landscape they had before their eyes a last time. The return spent without incident, but they were submersed in a long silence as they both thought about what Gajeel had said. Then they finally reached the said man's house, and he suggested Levy to go with her at her house. However, the blue haired girl didn't need a bodyguard, nor a devoted knight, so she refused, teasing him one last time. The journalist went home sighing deeply with a smile half-amused, half-annoyed, and finished to write the article he had to send to his newspaper for the next morning. However, a large amount of thoughts,most of them about his new friend, were wandering in his head and he worked far slower than usual. It's been only three days they knew each other, he didn't know if he had to worry or be happy about the future events.

Even if the events would change as soon as the next morning would come...


	4. Gallantry killed the cat

**Gihihi! I beat you Yankee! *Chopper dance in my room***

**Finally some fluff in this chapter! Even if I think it's a little early... but whatever, this chapter is great, so I hope you'll think the same! Guess what was the moment that made me laugh in this chapter? ^w^**

**Enjoy and/or tell me what you think please!**

**I only own the translation and the mistakes**

**X_x**

It was 8 in the morning when Gajeel's clock loudly rang. He muffled a moan as he buried his head in the pillow and turned it off in a tired and aggressive motion. Abruptly the calm fell and the journalist sighed deeply. He hated to be awakened that way. Usually, he was already up at this hour, but not today, no. today he was tired. And he perfectly knew why, well rather because of who. Levy. He had laid on his bed and thought about everything that happened with her, but it also had prevented him from sleeping. He had asked for it, he knew if he was thinking too much he couldn't sleep. Unfortunately, he had to get out of his bed, even if he didn't want to. The scoops and news wouldn't wait for him. He stood and gave a huge sigh, as if it was something particularly painful. He took a shower, not really paying attention at what he was doing, after all he was used to do the same things every morning. Then he dressed and took his breakfast.

Before he left he checked that his beloved hat was properly placed on his head, then he left to collect some information like his job demanded so. And for this, he had a place he was fond of particularly. A little bistro/restaurant/inn in a neighboring street in the avenue where he lived. It was here where he had met his Earthland counterpart, so since that day, it was even more important in his eyes. And he was getting on with the owner and the barmen. He opened the door of the bar and came in and closed it behind him, then he walked toward the counter, nicely waving at the few people he knew. He sat on his favourite seat, just in front of the service door and almost immediately the barman greeted him. He had blond hair with brown eyes and looked both eccentric and serious. Gajeel knew him well, because he was a former journalist who had give up a few years ago to do a less dangerous job, because someone had punched with his own camera and accused him to be a paparazzi. So he had become a barman, but was still greedy for gossips.

"Hi Gajeel, that's cool you're here! You want the same as usual I guess?" He said with a cheerful voice as he shook hands with his friend.

"Good morning Jason, how are you today?"

"Oh I'm fine, on the other hand you seem exhausted, not cool!"

Yes, Jason was used to say "cool" at least once a sentence.

"Yes, I haven't slept this night." The reporter sighed as he massaged his temples, his eyes closed. Fortunately he had his coffee!

"Me too, I haven't slept!" The blond spoke, too excited suddenly. "I have a scoop too cool for you!"

"Really?"

The young man immediately took his notebook, his curiosity cut to the quick by the waiter's voice. Jason leaned over the counter and observed the surroundings to check that no one was spying them, then he began his story:

"Yesterday at the evening it was closing time, around one in the morning, when I came back home. I was walking in the main street that lead to the Royal Palace, and guess what I saw?"

"I don't know, tell me!" Gajeel hurried him.

He was writing at full speed and almost bouncing on his chair.

"I saw arms dealers that were leaving the palace, escorted by guards!"

The waiter punctuated his declaration by a grave and intend nod.

"Are you sure? Magic weapons? Maybe they were just about to get rid of them, they are useless now."

"I don't know if they were magic or no, they were in boxes. But the guys and the guards were talking about delivering them to Faust, but they didn't say exactly where. I ignore where he's hiding, but in my opinion our former king prepare a blow."

Gajeel felt a shiver running through his spine. He was about to leave for his mission – spying Faust's wrongdoings – the next morning. Maybe he could learn a little more about this story? In any case, it was an information of a capital importance. But it was not really this discovery that frightened him the most.

"But, if I understood, that means there is a part of the army that's on Faust's side!" He realized with horror.

"Looks like! This story is shady, not cool at all. You should talk about this to Mystogan."

"I'll see. But whatever happens, I can't remain idle."

"Be careful still. I don't want you to get killed because you poked your nose in shady businesses. And knowing you, it could easily happen."

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

The journalist stayed again a whole hour in the bar to discuss with Jason and to exchange the last news about Edolas. Then the journalist got ready to leave, he had to prepare his stuffs for the next morning and finish his articles. He waved at the waiter and promised him one more time not to take risks about his discovery, then he left.

Everyone knew it, Fate did things well. Gajeel was barely out of the bar, he barely had closed the door and made a few steps when Levy appeared suddenly in the street, coming from another street on his right. The only problem was that she seemed in a bad situation. She was surrounded by three tall guys who seemed rather unsavoury and she was struggling and roaring insults while one of them, a tall threatening brown haired man, was holding her arms firmly. At the moment, Gajeel didn't understand the torrent emotions that submersed him. Surprise, and a bit of fear too. But not only this, a strange rage burnt into him, making him see red. As the valiant knight he was, he threw himself at the one with black hair who was about to hit his princess in distress. Even if in fact, he did it because of the adrenaline rush in his veins above all, because at the time he didn't controlled himself. Blinded by his desire to save his friend, he did something incredibly, absurdly, totally stupid and thoughtless. He struck. Before Levy's stunned eyes, who just realized he was here, her aggressor took the young man's fist right in the face and a loud crack resulted from it. And before the the young girl's and the three guys' dumbfounded eyes, Gajeel began to hop on the spot, holding his hand and yelping painfully. Apparently he had hurt himself more than his opponent who didn't seem shaken at all. At least they had stopped to pay attention to the mechanic, instead they were ogling him as if he was coming from another dimension.

"What the fuck are you doing here? Go away, mind your own business!" Levy screamed, she was the first one to react.

She was struggling as best as she could, but she couldn't manage to get free. And fear seized her when the two guys who surrounded her suddenly approached Gajeel with expressions that told no good.

"Got a problem dude? Don't be looking for trouble, okay?" They threatened, playing with their fists.

But that was far from impress the young man who was wondering if he really had done what he did, his own gesture had shocked him. Gradually regaining his composure, he turned toward them and hid as best as he could his wounded hand behind his back, before he threatened them in turn.

"Let her go! Aren't you ashamed of attacking a woman? If you do what I say, maybe I'll agree to apologize to have punch you, but otherwise I'm going to become mean!"

He had shaking knees and he was sensing troubles, especially because the one he had struck didn't take his eyes out of him and looked furious. And it got worse when he caught what seemed to be a metal baseball bat, hung in his back. Gajeel stepped back instinctively, but the third one who had no hair was faster and grabbed him by the arms to immobilize him in turn.

"Hey wait! You're not going to get upset for so little, are you?"

Suddenly he wasn't trying to lecture anymore, but rather to save his life.

"Leave him alone you fuckers! He had nothing to do with all this!" Levy screamed and kicked out and rebelled even more.

"And you believe we're going to listen a annoying kid of your kind? This loser messed with us, he's going to pay for having dared faced us out. But don't worry, you'll be the next." The brown haired man who held the young girl purred.

Powerless, she could only watch the scene. She saw the guy raising his weapon. She saw Gajeel closing his eyes. She didn't hear her own scream, only the horrible sound the metal made as it struck her friend's head, and he was sent flying a few meters away under the force of the impact. And he didn't move anymore. For her, an infinite time had passed, but it had lasted only a few seconds.

"What a loser! Not even able to protect himself, it's all put on!" The three men chuckled.

And unfortunately for them, they had slackened at this moment. Levy took the opportunity and gave two violent kicks behind her. With the first one, she reached her opponent's knee and touch the crotch with the second one. Abruptly the man's body shook in a painful spasm and she got free strongly. The two others reacted already. She dodged the first one who hit his comrade on the ground and she gripped the other by the hair before plunging his head into the ground and she punctuated her motion with a good kick. Feeling that the blond had stood and came from behind, she turned on herself, and by chance, her spanner she just took hit his nose. He collapsed with a shout and the calm fell in the street again. Calm that was broken by a scream when Levy managed to catch her breath.

"Fuck, Black Sheep!"

She rushed at Gajeel who was laying face downwards, probably unconscious.

"Come on, wake up moron!" The mechanic whimpered with a voice tight with anxiety.

A this precise moment, she didn't care if she was showing concern, it wasn't the most important. Her heart was thundering in her chest, and she felt her hands shaking when she gingerly laid the journalist on his back. Blood was flowing from his temple, in great quantity even if the wound was superficial and she could take care of it easily. There, because of him she had to play the nurse, just because that man wasn't able to mind his own business. Irritated, she grabbed him by his jacket and shook him in a last attempt to make him open his eyes, unsuccessfully. She was so furious that smoke almost came out of her ears and she stood with a threatening growl. If it was entirely up to her, she would have left him in the street, but despite her grudge against him, she was grateful. After all, he gave her the opportunity to get free. So she hauled him on her back and tried to wedge him as comfortably as possible not to make him move. And of course, the best position for both of them was when his head was placed against her neck and his curly hair tickled her.

"You fucking drifter! Not only are you useless but you're heavy! She grumbled as she took his hat and his glasses that had landed a bit further.

Of course, Gajeel didn't answer and Levy took the opportunity to bawl out at him copiously as she was bringing him at his house, right before the passing-by's confused looks. However, when she arrived in front of his door, another problem showed itself. She hadn't the keys. And she couldn't resolve to force the keyhole. So, she was forced to make the young man sit against the wall of his own house in order to look through his pockets, and it wasn't easy because he looked like a puppet without threads. Not to mention the people in the street who seemed to wonder if she wasn't the one who had attacked him and if she wasn't a thief. But since they were selfish, not a single person came to help him. She rolled her eyes to heaven and knelt before him growling insults more and more vulgar when she realized with embarrassment there was no key in the pockets of his jacket. Now she had to choose between digging in the pockets of a unconscious man's pants in public or giving up and leaving. The second solution was terribly tempting. So when she chose the first one, she agreed to tell herself she wasn't in her normal state.

"I hate you." She spat against the journalist as she plunged her hand in one of his pockets.

And, thanks God, she found the damn keys. As soon as she caught them, she brought her hand back, blushing. Then she stood and let him collapse on the ground while she was inserting the key in the keyhole. She grabbed his wrist and dragged him inside before she slammed the door furiously. On the nerves, she kicked the books on her passage and laid him on his couch. Then the young girl collapsed on the ground, slightly tired after she had carried her friend. She waited a few minutes to recover and see if he was awake, and as it wasn't the case she heavily walked toward his bedroom. She kicked the door open, walked in and toward the chest of drawers that Gajeel had opened the day before to take the medicines. She had to restrain herself to search in the second one too. Sighing, resigned, she came back to the living room and took care of him as best as she could.

**X_x**

Gradually, the pain he felt awoke Gajeel. He felt like his heart was violently hitting his temples and his head was aching so much he felt nauseous. He winced and realized he was laying on something soft. Eager to know where he was he slowly opened the eyes and immediately understood he hadn't his glasses on his nose, but he knew he was at home. Preparing for the worst, he brushed the top of his head with his right hand that was now covered of bandages, and he only felt his hair. Where was his hat? He straightened abruptly as he heard a weird noise, slightly intrigued. He started to remember what had happened. Was it Levy who had brought him home? Ignoring his painful head, he was about to check by himself when the young girl's voice rang, followed by footsteps.

"Hey! Lay down Black Sheep! You must be crazy if you want to get up now, do you want to aggravate your situation?"

She arrived in front of him at full speed, grabbed him by the shoulders and plunged him into the couch. Gajil uttered a painful moan, completely mixed-up.

"Levy? What happened? Are you alright?" He asked with concern.

"Shut up! Of course I'm alright, come on, calm down, you're going to hurt yourself _again_."

Then he felt something cold and soaked on his temple and he winced with a plaintive yelp, even if it soothed his pain slightly.

"Stop acting like a sissy would you?" The young girl ordered as she slowly cleaned the wound on his head with a fabric, soaked with cold water.

"Looks like this guy didn't go easy on me, I have an horrible headache." He stammered with a weak voice.

"Yeah he struck you hard. I beat them and I brought you home."

"Thank you very much."

"You don't have to thank me for this. I would have been in trouble if you hadn't been here, I owned you. Even if you reacted like an ass."

"I ignore what occurred to me. It's the first time that I wanted to hurt someone voluntarily. At the time, the desire to protect you had imposed on me, and I admit I didn't understand my own behaviour."

He looked ashamed and embarrassed with this confession, and sorry about his own gesture, that made Levy smile.

"Bah you wanted to play the knight but you failed. But... thanks for having helped me."

She blushed and looked away when she saw Gajeel's beaming smile. Since she didn't intend to thank him more than this, she kept busy with his wound on his head, avoiding his calm gaze.

"Tell me" The journalist added, "why did those guys attack you?"

The mechanic pouted and didn't answer before a long moment.

"I've provoked them... so what? No criticisms, no reproaches?"

"Under normal circumstances I would have reproached you for your behaviour, but after what I did myself, I doubt I have the right to do so."

She replied in a weird annoyed noise, and then words were replaced by silence. When her job seemed acceptable, she stood to put what she had used as a compress in the kitchen. When she came back, Gajeel took the opportunity to ask:

"Do you know by any chance where are my hat and my glasses?"

The bluenette watched him during a few seconds, her arms crossed, before she walked toward the door to throw his hat she had placed on a furniture. He caught it in flight with a beaming smile and placed it on his head before he thanked her. However the anxiety grew in his heart when she sat beside him with sorry features he was seeing for the first time.

"You're ugly without your glasses." She said in a weak humor and provocation attempt that managed to make him laugh.

"In that case I have to get them, I need my beauty above all." He joked back.

"Well... I have them but..."

She gave him his glasses, but the violence of the attack he had been victim of had broken them.

"I've tried to fix them but it didn't work." She added.

"Damn! What a bunch of boors! I've never seen such violent people, maybe except my other me, just maybe. Don't worry this is not a big deal, I still have another pair."

The young man wanted to get up to get them but Levy reacted immediately and plunged him in the couch again.

"Don't move! Tell me where they are, I'm going to find them for you!"

"In the drawer of the bedside table. But don't you dare search elsewhere!"

"And don't you dare give me orders!" She grumbled.

She walked toward his bedroom and came back one minute later with a little box she gave him. He took the second pair of glasses and adjusted them on his nose with a contented sigh. Then he observed his hand he had used to punch his friend's aggressors and noticed it was already bandaged. Apparently, she had taken care of it before he awoke.

"No way, today isn't my day, how am I supposed to work? And I have to leave tomorrow!"

"You've been looking for it! Oh by the way it reminds something you said yesterday."

"What?"

"Why did you say you were often alone because of your reputation?"

"Oh that..." He sighed as he looked away in turn. "Well, people don't like what I write in my articles because I say the truth, and they prefer close their eyes to the problems in this world, because they think it has anything to do with them. That's why not many people in Edolas really like me."

Just like the time when he had talked about his Earthland counterpart, Levy didn't know what to say. She faintly felt sorry for him, especially because she was living the same. Not many people liked her because she was frank, provocative and sadistic. They were completely opposites, and yet she managed to find they had things in common. Levy realized something with this simple conclusion. Something she didn't know until now. Without understanding what happened, her hands landed on the young man's chest with a calculate slowness. She felt Gajeel's heart speed up suddenly with this single contact, and her heart answered with an uncontrolled and rather destabilizing start, that made her come closer even more at the time. She was seeing nothing but his face, but she couldn't read his stunned expression. The incomprehension was drowning, but she couldn't even wondering why she was doing this. Suddenly their noses touched, their breaths crossed, and their lips brushed in a contact lighter than a feather. Gajeel wanted terribly to approach again, to straightened to kiss her for real. But the young girl didn't seem to want to move, completely immobilized in the middle of her gesture, so he ignored if he could do so. To tell the truth, even if they hadn't kissed for real, such possibility shocked the young girl so deeply that suddenly her fit of madness disappeared, to be replaced by the cruel reality. Gajeel's eyes that were staring at her, expecting she would react finally. And precisely, the reaction was immediate. Blushing like never before, the mechanic leaped backward, strangely breathless, just like the journalist who was speechless despite himself. The bluenette wasn't used to act like this, but it seemed to be the best solution.

"I have to go." She said hastily.

Then she left him here, he who was still chocked and surprised with her gesture, and she burst out his house, slamming the door with maybe a bit too much of violence. She ran at full speed at home, as if she was afraid he was chasing her, and yet she was in a trance. What had just happened? What was wrong with her? Why had she done this? It was completely impossible, she was currently having a nightmare and she was about to awake any minute now! She never had acted like that, and she certainly didn't want _him __to be the first_ person to assist what she considered as a pure weakness moment. Without realizing, without paying attention at her surroundings, she locked herself in her house as if she just had been attacked in the street, and once she was inside, the rare people that were in the street could hear her perfectly audible pierced scream, even through the walls of her house.


	5. Fatal Error

***sigh* Finally I'm back! It's been... what? 2-3 weeks? OMG I'm so late! I'm sorry! But I had a very bad time believe me. I've found a job, and it's been a kind of psychologic torture for me. I couldn't translate anything for a while. And finally I've got fired. Great. I think the latter part is the best thing that happened anyway. I was fed up to go home crying every night.**

**Well, I explained myself, I punched a wall, so now everything's alright, enough whining! Read and enjoy this chapter, and please tell me what you think!**

**I only own the translation and the mistakes. This fanfiction belongs to Yankee-chan and the characters and universe belong to Hiro Mashima.**

**X_x**

The next morning, Levy didn't leave her home. She knew Gajeel was leaving today for an unknown time, but she didn't want to play the sweet little girl by wishing him luck. No, no way she was going to wave a white handkerchief and crying in silence as a goodbye, praying that her love comes back alive? Disgusting and stupid. And she wasn't in love! That's why she didn't want to come out, because she might see him. She knew they would have to meet again, and she would have to face the consequences of her gesture of the day before. And precisely, she didn't know how to explain it, since she didn't understand herself what had happened, neither what she had felt at this moment. However, she would have to talk about it with him someday, she couldn't run away forever. Best take the opportunity and do it now before he leaves in mission. But she was afraid with Gajeel's reaction. No! She had to take responsibility and not to act like a coward! Goddammit, it wasn't this helpless looser who can impress her!

Sat at the kitchen table, thinking, Levy looked up to stare at the pendulum. Three pm. Maybe he was still at his home? Determined, the young girl straightened and leave her house, slamming the door. She was going to see him now, and they won't talk about it anymore. A few minutes later, she found herself in front of his house with white walls. She only came here twice, and yet she knew the way by heart. It annoyed her. Sighing, she knocked the door. And she did it again three times when no one opened. Was he already gone? She tried the front door then the garage's, but they were locked. She had to bow to the evidence, it was too late. Annoyed, she kicked the wall and cursed:

"Fucking shit!"

She stayed for a while in front of his house, waiting, hoping he would appear. But he didn't. Resigned, deeply disappointed, she decided to busy herself until he would come back.

**X_x**

__  
><em>A<em>_ few fours earlier:_

Gajeel had gathered his stuffs as he thought about this arms dealing story. All this had made him think, he had to gather information discreetly, and watch his back. And for this, he had to see Mystogan first.

Of course, he was spying for more than a month, but he had met Faust only once. He had managed so-so to pretend to be one of them, after an interview that had lasted hours. But the former king had ordered him not to come back until he fixed his motorcycle. Simply because it was too far for a walk, and if someone was bringing him, they could find his hiding place easily. Now, time to go back to work!

When he arrived before the Royal Palace, at a few minutes from his house, two guards intercepted him, or more precisely, greeted him. With his journalist and double agent status, he was gladly greeted from both sides, that was greatly practical. Not to mention, since the regime had changed, the access to the palace was much easier. Ten minutes later, he was introduced to the new king. Unfortunately for Gajeel, he was in reunion with Erza and his new generals, even if he accepted to interrupt it to talk to the journalist who apologized. They isolated themselves in a corridor, away from eavesdroppers and curious eyes.

"Why do you want to see me Gajeel? Is it about your mission?" Mystogan asked immediately, his arms crossed.

"Largely yes. Yesterday, one of my informants caught some arms dealers leaving the Palace, and I suspect your father to be behind this. I was thinking about giving him wrong information, in order to make him reveal the truth. But I had to warn you first, not to be eliminate because of a wrong move from you that could betray me." The young man explained as he made his hat turn between his fingers, slightly nervous because of the plan he just suggested.

"An arms dealing? Indeed, there were thefts in the Palace, it could be connected. But magic weapons would be useless, I don't see what Faust had planed to do with them, if he is really the one behind this. Some soldiers warned me they noticed some suspect individuals make round trips between Louen and the capital, I had planed to send troops to Sycca in order to intercept them. I think you can allow yourself to give him this information. But if you learn a single thing, warn me."

"Of course, I will inform you as soon as possible, I hope to find something."

"Very well, be careful."

"You too, my king."

Both bowed with respect, then Mystogan went back to his business of state, while Gajeel got ready to leave. He left to get his motorcycle at his home, and drove toward the place where Faust was hiding, meaning to the extreme North of Louen. The former king had built a Palace, but unlike the first, it was smaller. And actually, he had built it on the underground, right into the cliff at the North limit of the island, at the edge of Edolas. And he could see only clouds when he was watching through the windows built in the stone. Gajeel had found this hiding place with much difficulty the first time, he was rather proud. It took a few hours to reach the destination. He didn't like this place, it wasn't that he had vertigo, but the fact to see the clouds when he was leaning over the edge of the cliff was rather disturbing and harrowing. As if he was above an abyss leading toward an unknown place. And from what he could never come back.

But of course, Gajeel didn't intend to approach. He drove down his motorcycle and walked toward what looked like a small house, very ordinary despite the fact it was the only one in such a place. If someone would come here, ignoring what was hiding bellow his feet, he could have say it was a simple lonely house. Except that in reality, it was a guardroom to reach to the basement. He went to knock the door as he held his motorcycle until a guard opened it. Apparently, Faust had told them about his imminent arrival, and he was allowed to enter without being checked. He left his beloved motorcycle inside, then he climbed down a hidden stair under the parquet floor that could be lift. Clever. Faust had really thought about everything. His head full of interrogations, the young man climbed down this strange, cold and wet tunnel, barely lightened by a few torches hung to the wall. Since the beginning, it had caught his attention. The man who had greeted him was a guard, who was wearing the uniform of the Royal soldiers. And he'd seen what looked like the old magic spears of the army. His hypothesis was materializing, the former king was the one behind the arms dealing. Now he had to know how much the army was involved, and what Faust was planning to do.

The stair wasn't really long, and he found himself quickly in a kind of big corridor, better enlightened, sculpted in a strange white colored stone. There were a few windows, but only in one side, and he could see the clouds floating peacefully, reverberating the sun. If the journalist wasn't in the enemy territory, he would have been stunned by the beauty of the architecture.

"Glad to see you again, Gajeel, Faust is waiting for you." A deep voice rang in his back, and he turned around.

"Oh, it is you Jose. It's been a while." The young man answered, digging his hands in his pockets.

For him, this simple gesture was like a defensive motion. He didn't like Jose, it was a perfidious man, with bad and impenetrable thoughts, not to mentions his weird and doubtful clothes. He was always uncomfortable when he was around, even if he didn't show it. Unfortunately for the journalist, he was also the former king's right hand. Gajeel ignored where Faust had found him, all he knew was that Jose had a rather awful past to hear, because it was question of murders and other illegal stuffs. Without any polite phrase, the young man was escorted through the corridors until they reached Faust's room, in a deathly silence he was appreciating, for once. Apparently, Jose didn't like him either, he just realized it, since he knocked to a door and opened it to let him enter and closed it behind him, without sharing a single word.

"There you are finally, Gajeel. It's been two months I am waiting for you."

The young man turned toward the voice that just called him and saw Faust, sat in such a big armchair it looked like a throne. That was normal after all, he was a monarch, and an old man. He had to watch his back.

"Forgive my lateness your Highness. I just repaired my motorcycle, and I came here as soon as possible."

He punctuated his apologize by bowing. Nothing better for a king to see his paws submissive, he knew it, so he better act like this.

"It's fine for this time. At least I hope you bring me some good information."

"I have one that might especially please you, if my theory is right."

"What theory? Speak, I'm listening."

Great, he had awoken his curiosity, now he had to confirm his theory.

"I discovered a huge arms dealing inside the Royal Palace, committed by guards. And everything makes me believe you are the one behind it. Of course, I don't accuse you, I just try to understand, you know me."

Faust straightened suddenly, and despite his beard the young man saw he was smiling. Apparently, he was right, but what he was thinking was confirmed when the king answered:

"You are very perceptive Gajeel. Indeed I am the one who organized all this. A good part of the soldiers of the army is on my side since my son is the cause of the magic disappearance. Unfortunately I hadn't managed to rally his generals yet, I was thinking it would be easy with Erza, and yet she went over to the other side. But tell me... what is the link between your information and this?"

"Well, Mystogan is aware of this traffic, and he planed to send guards to Sycca in order to intercept it and stop it."

If Gajeel thought this information would be a bad new for Faust, well he was wrong. And he began to worry slightly as the old man's smile widened again and as he stared through the window happily.

"That's good... very good..."

However, he didn't precise his thought and dismissed the journalist just after. Gajeel had already his own room, it wasn't hard for him to find it. He was barely inside when he collapsed on his bed, exhausted. He had to investigate alone, Faust didn't seem to want to share his plans. Something was bothering him about the former king, but no matter how many times he was reading his notes and thinking about what he just said, he couldn't put a finger on it. It was only after dinner that everything became clear. The young man concluded, thanks to Faust's behaviour, that he wanted Mystogan to send soldiers to Sycca. Because the ones who would stay would be predominantly on the former king's side and the Royal City would be helpless. Gajeel didn't know how or when, but he was ready to bet his hat that Faust was planning a coup d'état.

**X_x**

Since Gajeel wasn't here, Levy had to do something else. Unfortunately, it was difficult for her to continue her little routine when the young man had shattered it. Now he wasn't here anymore, she didn't know what to do and she was bored. She, who wanted to be independent, had got used to his presence beside her. And she didn't like it at all. Stuck, she decided to go to Fairy Tail, even if she knew what kind of reaction was waiting for her.

She crossed reluctantly the guild door and was greeted with whistles and mocking laughter. Ignoring her teammates, she sat at the counter, gritting her teeth, but keep her head up. Mirajane greeted her with a smile, sorry by her friends' attitude toward her. The mechanic answered by a glare and ordered a strong alcohol to forget Lucy who was telling dirty jokes about her and the journalist, loud enough so everyone could hear. Sighing, Levy decided to ignore her this time, she was daydreaming.

Her eyes landed on the newspaper, placed beside her on the wooden counter. She grabbed it and opened it as a strange idea came through her mind. Gajeel, being a journalist, was writing articles and publishing one a day in the newspapers. So, Levy concluded that if something happened to him, there wouldn't be any article from him, that seemed logical. She shook her head and called herself a crazy girl, annoyed against herself. But it didn't prevent her to read the newspaper for once in her life. She didn't like to read, she found that boring, and yet she was smiling like an idiot as she read _his_ article and saw his name written below. Then Jet and Droy arrived just when she finished reading. And apparently they'd got an idea about why she had been reading.

"So you read your honey's articles?" They sneered.

"If you came just for this, shut your mouths and go away." She answered without even glancing at them.

"Actually, we wanted to take a job with you, but you seem busy."

"Sorry dudes, but I don't work with sneaks. Go away now and come back when you decide to stop to piss me off about Gajeel."

The two young men's expression hardened but they didn't reply and they left. That was better to let the storm calm down than to break their team because of this. Levy folded the newspaper and placed it back on the counter with violence, once again enraged by her friends' behaviour. The following days, she began to search a house or a studio she could buy to turn it into a garage and the rest of the time, she was roaming in the guild. She didn't care if she caught the attention every time she was opening a newspaper. However, four days after Gajeel had left, there still wasn't any articles from him. At first, Levy thought it was a lack of inspiration, nothing more, but the next days, there was still nothing. In an attempt to forget the anxiety that began to gnaw her, she decided to go to work alone, even if it wasn't really effective.

And it was when she was repairing a broken car, used by the royal guards from the outsiders of Traia, that she had an idea. It was Mystogan who had asked Gajeel to do this mission. So as a consequence the army must be aware of his job, otherwise he would already have been caught, right? Well, she guessed so. And if the guards was aware of his job, they had to know where he was too and they had more information than her. She cleaned her black hands, stood and walked to the guards who were talking a little further.

"Hey guys! Don't you know a guy named Gajeel by chance?"

Both of them turned toward her, then the first of them answered slightly defensively, but she didn't noticed.

"Yeah we know him... why?"

"Oh absolutely nothing. It's been a few days he left in mission for Mystogan. Since I had no news, I was wondering if you could help me."

"I don't remember he had a mission from Mystogan..."

There, something weird happened. The second guard nudged his partner and answered for him:

"But he had, don't you remember? Mystogan gave him a mission, but we don't know what it is."

The young girl raised an eyebrow and restrained herself to call them idiots, unaware that actually she was the one who were fooled.

"So you don't know where he is. Unless you know where Faust is."

"Faust? Yes we know where he is. But what's the point?"

"Gajeel must spy him for Mystogan, that's his mission. But that's a secret so you better shut your mouths okay? Can you bring me there too?"

"This kind of job is dangerous, you have to watch your back." The two guards evaded with a strange voice, slightly threatening.

It wasn't until one of them took suddenly his weapon that Levy understood that something wasn't right. She just jumped in the trap they build for her, she never should have talked about Gajeel's mission. Because those guards didn't belong to the Royal Army. But this fact, she understood it only when the guard's spear knocked her out.

**X_x**

Levy didn't know where she was, someone had put a blindfold on her eyes. Feet and hands tied, she was laid on a cold and hard surface, she thought about stone. Her head was throbbing, but the pain was decreasing quickly. She struggled and groaned, until she heard footsteps and realized she wasn't alone. Someone removed the blindfold that masked her view and she blinked before staring at the weird guy in front of her.

"So you're finally awake, little bitch." He noticed with a cold and yet gleeful voice.

His arms crossed, he didn't even look at her, and he seemed to wait someone with impatience.

"Who're you? And where am I?" Levy demanded imperiously.

"My name is Jose, and you are in our Highness Faust's Palace. That was kind of you to help us to drive out this filthy traitor, don't worry, you won't have to wait that much before you understand."

Levy blinked, astounded and confused. A traitor? She didn't know what she could have done to betrayed someone. The only thing she remembered was when she had asked where Gajeel was to the two guards, and then they had knocked her out. A cold chill ran through her spine as she realized the guards weren't on the good side. So she had tell them everything without knowing she was betraying her friend! What had she done? She was in Faust's Palace, if the guy beside her had spoken truthfully, and it what the place where Gajeel was working as a double agent! Her heartbeat increased to the point she was panting with horror, even if she was barely audible. She had to escape and find Gajeel before it was too late.

The young girl looked up and observed discreetly the place where she was. It was a very strange room, it looked like a big circular tower with gray stoned walls. They were at about three meters away from the ceiling, and Levy was on a thin rig, like a corridor without walls that reached the center of the tower. The extremity had a circle shape, but it didn't touch the walls. And precisely, in the center there was a machine with buttons everywhere, like a kind of dashboard hung to what looked like a huge crystal ball. A lacrima? There were five others, shorter and built into the walls, slightly lower than the big one, and they were shining with a weak golden light. How could lacrimas lighten when the magic had gone from the world? But it wasn't this that worried her the most to tell the truth. Bellow her, there was nothing. They were on the top of the tower, the ground had to be bellow the young girl of course. Well she supposed it was, but it was so far that she couldn't see it. Strangely, she heard the wind blowing and it was cold, but she didn't know where it came from.

Suddenly, she heard a door opening violently in her back and multiple footsteps rang against the walls. Despite her feet and hands tied together, she rolled on the floor and managed to turn around to face Faust's feet. Great. She looked up and thundered with her eyes the man who turned the Fairy Tail members' days int hell for years. And he glared back at her.

"My guards just told me something very interesting. What about repeating the story you badmouthed to them, little girl..." He spat with a voice that could make multiple people shiver, without looking away from the bluenette.

Jose chuckled beside her and Levy stared at him, to see that he was watching the three guards behind the former king, and more precisely Gajeel who was standing between them. She opened the mouth to call him, but the look he shot her silenced her and she curled on herself. At this moment, even Faust looked less dangerous. Speaking of him, he was beginning to lose patience, and he didn't seem to like to being ignored. Well, the young girl's answer wouldn't please him either.

"Fuck you old fool, I have nothing to say."

Outraged, Jose kicked her hard and she groaned in pain, breathless, then he turn toward Gajeel with a huge smirk.

"So what, you don't react Gajeel? This is strange coming from you, especially if she's your friend."

"Am I in position to do something?" The said man asked simply, keeping his head up with pride and showing a cold glare that Levy had never seen.

Then it was Faust's turn to take part to the action. No, he really didn't like when they didn't pay attention to him.

"I admit I believed your lies Gajeel, you are really a master for this, but I don't like the ones who betray me. Do you know what this machine is?" He asked with a voice too kind to be honest, and since the young man didn't answer, he added: "This is an Anima. Before I was exiled I had the time to get its plans and I built another one. I've already begun to absorb Earthland magic in small quantity. And do you know what I plan to do with it? I'm going to transfer this magic in _my_ guards' weapons and attack the capital! My idiot son couldn't do anything, he never should have rebelled against me."

Levy was right when she'd insulted him, he was completely mad, by the way he was laughing like a madman. This time, Gajeel also seemed panicked and horrified, and it was getting worse when Faust activated the Anima. Almost immediately, an intense light illuminated the room, coming from the huge lacrima and those in the walls. And strangely, Levy saw a green-yellow light at the base of the tower, far bellow. But what was they doing?

"I'm not going to kill you." Faust declared as he kept chuckling. "But I'm going to exile you in a place you could never escape. Say goodbye to Edolas and hello to Earthland, my dear friends!"

The guards untied Gajeel who still hadn't uttered a word, still in shock, just as Levy. The old king pressed a button and a weird voice rang against the walls, clearly meaning that they hadn't much time anymore.

_~Reverse Anima Activation over~_

Levy felt a strange force drawing her toward the ground, pinning her against the stone. It was as if something wanted to aspire her. Suddenly, realizing what Faust was going to do, Gajeel shook himself and finally decided to speak.

"But the Reverse Anima only sends the magic back to Earthland, we aren't magical beings, it can't work!"

"Unless I send you forcefully."

The journalist opened and closed his mouth, not knowing what to say, and Levy understood they couldn't do anything now. They couldn't alert Mystogan, and they couldn't come back to Edolas. The light bellow became even stronger and the ground began to shake. Free from her ropes, the young girl stood but she couldn't do anything with the guards before her. Gajeel was in the same situation and when the bluenette turned her gaze at him, she saw he was ignoring her. He was mad at her, it was obvious. And he was ignoring her at the moment where she needed him the most. Guilt ran through her system, if she had mind her own business, nothing would have happened.

"Never see you again, damn traitors!" Faust exclaimed with a devilish laughter.

Then he glanced at Jose and gave him a silent order that everyone understood when he approached the two young prisoners. It was the end. Jose pushed them. They fell with what seemed a crazy slowness into the light, and they disappeared.

**X_x**

… **So?**

**The next chapter will be there faster. You have my word. See ya!**


	6. Welcome to Earthland

**Here the chapter 6! This is the part the author had loved and hated at the same time because, yes, the Edo and the Earthland Gajeel and Levy are going to meet, and it could be hard to show who is really acting or talking (the Edo or the Earthland?). So if it can make the things easier for you, we changed the way their names are written to see the difference. So:**

**_Gajeel_ and _Levy_ are the Edo.**

**_Gajil_ (yes, this is the french way to write his name, and I like it) and _Levi_ are the Earthland.**

**I hope it will be enough for now, and I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!**

**I only own the translation and the mistakes. This fanfiction belongs to Yankee-chan and Fairy Tail belongs to Mashima.**

**x_X**

When Jose had pushed them into the Anima, Gajeel and Levy had closed their eyes instinctively, even if the light had still blinded them through their eyelids. The crazy falling sensation had tightened their throat and their stomach at the same time. No matter how they were shouting themselves hoarse in terror, they couldn't hear anything and had the feeling that their screams were only whispers. And when finally the blinding light disappeared, they were submersed by an intense cold and the wind rolled them around. This time, they opened their furtively eyes only to see a landscape they never saw before, and they realized they were in Earthland. Except they were rather far from the ground, and they were about to crash. They didn't have the chance to understand what was happening to them, desperate and resigned, they only could wait their imminent death. But it didn't happen, actually. Without knowing what happened, they hit the icy water, even if a second before they were in the sky. As if the fall had been much quicker than they expected.

Gajeel collapsed on the pond shore, the water having absorbed their fall, exhausted, panting and soaked to the bone. His hat landed delicately beside him, it was true he had had the time to catch it when they had fallen, he was relieved. Levy pierced the water in turn, coughing, splashing everything around her, and the journalist's hat and glasses weren't spared, unfortunately. Both of them remained laid on their back, chilled to the bone, watching the gray sky filled with the clouds they were coming from.

"Fuck... why is it so cold? What the hell, did it really work?" Levy asked hoarsely.

She was used to the warmth of Edolas, here everything was icy. It was normal, their world was above the clouds, it was always hot, even during Winter, since there was no obstacle that could block the sunbeams.

"In Edolas, it was Summer, here it must be Autumn probably. It could explain why it's cold." Gajeel weakly answered back.

And just as to confirm his words, it began to rain. A rather cold and icy torrent started to pour on them, freezing them even more than before. Welcome to Earthland! The journalist moaned as he stood with difficulty, put his hat on his head, readjusted his tie and his glasses, then he walked toward the forest, he could see the treetop a little further.

"Eh! Where're you going Black Sheep?" Levy asked as she stood in turn.

With her brassiere and her skirt, she was literally frozen on the spot. There would be no difference if someone had put her in a freezer. And she began to shake faintly when he turned toward her, piercing her with his glare.

"Stop calling me like this." He growled, sounding suddenly threatening. "Considering the weather, I better search a shelter. But I don't remember I invited you."

"Who the hell do you think you are, talking to me like that? You want me to punch you?"

"I think that, between you and I, I am the one who should yelling or hitting you. You are not in a position to bawl at me, I remind you we are here because of you. This is your fault."

"My fault? How can you say that? Excuse me if I wanted to help you!"

"Help me? You think that telling my secret to the first person you saw had helped me? I trusted you, you promised me to tell nothing!"

The tone was starting to get louder, even if Gajeel did his best to remain calm, as a consequence Levy was highly louder than him.

"But how could I know the guards were on this fucker's side? I, I was worried about you, that's all!"

"Well you shouldn't have been. I can take care of myself, I didn't need you."

Without another word, the journalist walked away and left the young girl where she was, under the pouring rain. Annoyed, a deadly glimmer flashed in her eyes, and if she would have rocks within reach, she would have stoned him to death.

"So that's how you thank me you bastard?" She screamed in a voice thick with rage. "I hope you'll be eaten by wolves, serve you right!"

"Yeah, of course." He replied without even turning around. "At least I'm still kind and polite enough not to wish you the same."

Sighing with rage, she followed him from far behind, then he disappeared when he entered into the forest. She entered too, but followed her own path. Thanks to the vegetation the rain was partly blocked, but she was still soaked and she never had been so cold in her life. Her breath was turning into steam when it escaped her mouth, and no matter how she was rubbing her arms, she didn't manage to get warmer. She didn't know what time it was, neither where she was, just as she ignored where she was going. The plants, the weather, the animals, everything was different comparing to Edolas, she recognized nothing. That was when she realized she was alone. Her friends and her teammates from Fairy Tail weren't with her, and she will probably never see them again. Her dreams, her roots, everything was in Edolas, everything but her. She was once and for all alone and lost. Exhausted, she collapsed on the soaked ground, under a big uproot tree's trunk, hoping this shelter could protect her enough from the rain. And she cried. Despite her teeth that were chattering and her shaking body, she cried. Until the rain stopped and the night fell. And she stopped only because fear began to oppress her and the atmosphere was chocking her, otherwise she would have kept crying.

Levy did her best to breath soundlessly, all her senses on the alert since the sun had set. She was horribly scared that a animal jumped from the bushes to attack her, and every crack she heard in this sinister forest was enough to startle her. Her frozen skin was sore and her body was too numb so it could move. She felt like she was waiting her own death, offered herself to the wild animals of this forest. She knew very well she was helpless like this. How she wished that Gajeel was here after all! But she was wishing the impossible, she didn't know where he was. And she had betrayed him, maybe it hadn't been voluntary, but she had. How could she have been so stupid? She was the one who was wrong since the beginning, and now her world was threatened and she couldn't do anything! Now, she was going to die here because she had committed a pure idiotic action. She felt tears coming back, she wasn't at home and she missed it.

That was when she heard a crack too close, and instantly all her thoughts deserted her mind. She started again to breath by desperate hiccups and her heart was pounding furiously, transfixing her even more with each passing seconds. And worst of all, the noise was getting closer. It was certain, something terrible had just discovered her. Now she was about to serve as a meal, it was the end, prostrate on the ground, she only could wait.

But she was highly surprised when her strident scream reached Gajeel who just appeared suddenly from the bushes. Levy fell silent instantly and a unequal relief washed over her. As the colossal wave sinking the boat brusquely and taking it away. She couldn't believe it.

"Gajeel..." She sobbed, letting her tears flowing freely on her cheeks.

He was wearing his shirt, his coat under his arm, and he seemed relieved when he saw her. Even if he was standing straight at good distance and his face was emotionless. Yes, he was still angry, but it didn't prevent him to be happy to find her.

"Phew! Finally I found you, it's been hours I'm looking for you!"

Levy didn't answer and threw herself at him, sending her rebel-that-don't-want-to-know-anything-abut-anyone image to the devil. It was useless here, she could allow herself to get rid of it for once. She shuddered even more and winced in pain when she moved, it was horrible. Unlike hers, his clothes were dry, and he was warm, she was almost jealous. But she didn't care either. Finally, the young girl could release all the tension she had accumulated as she cried and yelled.

"Gajeel, I'm sorry it my fault, all this shit happened because of me! I've acted like an ass and that's why we're here, please don't leave me all alone here, I didn't want this, I wanna go home!"

"There, there." He sighed as he patted her back. "Calm down, I won't leave you. We'll be back together in Edolas, or we'll stay together in Earthland, now."

She stammered a few faint thanks and gripped him as if he was a lifebuoy, her head placed on his shoulder.

"Oh my God, but you are completely frozen!" He exclaimed then, horrified.

He placed his coat on the mechanic's shoulders and wrapped a warm arm around her waist. For once, she didn't pull away, and they followed the path the young man had taken to come. Levy tried to walk straight despite how tired she felt, in order to keep a semblance of dignity, but she couldn't refuse her friend's help as he held her slightly. It wasn't raining anymore but it was foggy now, and the visibility was more and more laborious. Fortunately Gajeel seemed to have a good sens of direction and he knew what he was looking for. The moon was already high in the sky when they reached a little cave, enlightened by a fire that was burning inside.

"How did you find this place?" Levy asked as she shivered. It was only a matter of time before she turned as blue as her hair.

"Well I inconveniently met a bear. I know those creatures live in caves, so I've followed it from a good distance and I scared him."

"You scared him?" The young girl repeated, stunned. "You're not able to fight three guys, but you can frightened a bear?"

"The wild animals fear the fire, I just had to burn a branch and the beast left, it wasn't difficult." He stated as he took a small lighter, answering her second question she was about to ask about the way he found fire.

They sheltered in the cave and Levy ran toward the fire immediately, savoring the sweet warmth that came from it. Gajeel tossed some togs he had gathered, then he sat against the rock face with a sigh.

"What a warm welcome! I think Earthland won't be soft with us." He stated ironically.

The mechanic didn't add anything, stiff with cold. She just wanted to throw herself into the fire right now. The young man noticed it and grabbed her waist so he could pull her against him.

"Hey what do you think you're doing?" She screamed, threatening.

Her cheeks turned pink, fortunately the fire was an ideal culprit, otherwise she couldn't have found any explanation Especially it reminded her the incident from the other day and she wanted to forget it.

"Please calm down. We don't need you to be ill in this world we know nothing about. This is the only way to keep you warm quickly."

Ah yes, she was getting warm, indeed! What a profiteer! She narrowed her eyes and gritted her teeth, while he was placing his coat above them like a blanket.

"Just a single word about that and I'll kill you." She growled.

He didn't answer and like usual, he smiled faintly. She sighed disdainfully, then she laid her head over his chest reluctantly and closed her eyes to relax. He smelled both old parchment and new paper, with a bit of something more she wasn't able to identify. Even if she preferred clearly the smell of oil and metal from the machines she was used to fix, she had to admit she appreciated this one too. Gajeel began to rub her back softly and her heart nearly broke. Despite everything she had done, he was still here for her. Yes, their relationship needed to be rebuilt, especially the trust, but it was a good start, and Levy hoped she could make amend soon enough.

"What will we do tomorrow?" She asked suddenly as she looked up at him.

"I don't know... but I think we should look for the Fairy Tail guild of this world, my other me is there, he could help us. Well for now we better sleep."

The young girl nodded and relaxed against him. She could hear his heart beating calmly in her ear and she felt safe in his arms. As if the cold and the danger outside couldn't reach her anymore. She felt drowsy and coiled up against him unconsciously, softly rocked by the fire crackling and the appeasing young man's breath. 

**X_x**

The sun was only half risen when Levy opened her eyes. The first thing she did was to smile as she felt the soft sunbeams caressing her skin. Her cozy bed was keeping her warm, she didn't want to get up. Wait a minute... since when she needed to sleep in a sitting position in a bed? She frowned. She didn't know that her bed was moving and had arms until now. Gajeel was still asleep, his head on the top of the young girl's. The fire was dead and only a few curl of smoke were emanating from it now. The bluenette pushed the journalist away who fell on the ground, stood and kicked him in the legs to make him wake up. The young man moaned and curled on himself, only to win a second kick.

"Hey get up square! I'm hungry to hell and we had to walk, let's get out of here!"

He stood slowly and with difficulty while the young girl was stretching. He nearly regretted his alarm clock.

"One more minute please" He sighed as he rubbed his eyes, feeling numb.

Levy walked outside their shelter and then noticed something worrying, and she immediately hurried to tell her friend.

"What if I tell you've got not time for this because of the bear outside, what do you say?"

Apparently the same bear Gajeel had scared the day before had decided to take his territory back.

"Huh?" The journalist answered simply, as he just arrived behind her only half awake.

"Run moron!"

The big animal's roar finally made the young man understand he had slept enough. But as he was still unable to react, frozen by surprise this time, the mechanic grabbed his arm and leaded him at full speed into the forest, dodging the bear which had begun to charge. She wondered if she should tell him that bears were eating sheep to make him walk faster. During five whole minutes they didn't stop running, eager to put the biggest distance between them and this huge beast. Then they stopped, exhausted but safe. And lost too, since they ignored where they were and everything was quite identical in this forest.

"I need a coffee." Gajeel complained heavily as he sat on a rock.

"Yeah, well for now you can't have it, so shut up! Come on, let's go!" The bluenette ordered.

They rested a few more minutes again then began walking, but much slower than before, following an old path covered with dead leaves. Gajeel had been right, it was apparently the beginning of the Autumn, even if the vegetation was still here and green. And it was certainly because there was a lot of vegetation that he didn't see the trap on the ground and walked directly on it. The two young people heard a sharp 'clac' and the journalist screamed in surprise, his voice reaching a high level, before he found himself hanging in the air by a rope wrapped around his foot, its other extremity was wrapping around a tree branch. Levy had instinctively stepped back, but she couldn't help but laugh as she understood what just happened.

"You scream like a girl!" She laughed heartily as she bent and held her stomach.

"This is not funny Levy! Help me please!" Gajeel screamed.

His face was starting to turn red and his glasses didn't stop from sliding. Beside, he had to hold his hat if he didn't want it to fall. Unfortunately for him, the young girl didn't move and kept laughing for a long time. Then, tears in her eyes, she came closer and pulled him by the tie that hid half of his face, in order to put him down at her level. Then she grabbed his foot as she snickered a _'what can you do without me'_ and tried to undo the rope. Gajeel, he, was looking away, completely pink, because if he was looking ahead and a bit higher he would see what was hiding under his friend's skirt. He wasn't a pervert, and knowing her, he doubted this position was voluntary. If she wanted him to stare in order to insult and hit him then, she would be disappointed, he would never do such a thing. He wouldn't be a gentleman if he did.

"Fuck I can't! It's too tight!" The young girl mumbled and bit her lip as she tried to undo his ropes.

Gajeel opened the mouth, but before he could speak five men jumped from behind the bushes, yelling. The mechanic stepped back with a scream and let go her friend who was sent flying to kiss the branch he was hung to. Then he fell back and rocked limply from right to left, without managing to do anything else beside groaning.

"Looks like we won the jackpot!" A small rather squat guy with brown hair exclaimed.

"Yeah for once, we should earn a good price." A second man with strange green long flowered hair and black round glasses laughed.

Levy's heart skipped a beat, of course they were talking about them, they were the ones who had created this trap, and they didn't look like saints. She clenched her fists and rushed at them, ignoring Gajeel's scream. And something she hadn't expected happened. The one who just talked, the guy with green hair, reached out his arm toward her and a magic circle appeared before the young girl's stunned eyes. She stopped but in the end she couldn't protect herself against the spell, and Gajeel was hit too.

"Flower Power!"

She didn't have the time to understand what was the point to yell that kind of thing or how he did it, but a huge flower appeared under the mechanic's feet, making her lose her balance, then the petals closed on her in a sharp clapping. And the same happened to the journalist who couldn't protect himself. Everything went black and they couldn't hear anything from the outside. The flower that had swallowed them moved off then and Levy fell heavily on Gajeel with a scream.

"Fucking shit! What the hell?" She screamed, completely lost, beating the walls.

"This is magic" The journalist answered, slightly crushed under the young girl. "In Earthland, people own magic in their being and they can use it, unlike us."

The bluenette seemed to finally noticed her friend's presence, and sat beside him, furious.

"How do you know this?"

"I've seen my other me in action, that was impressive."

Levy crossed her arms and growled, enraged, before she beat her fist against the strange flower's petals.

"But this is unfair, we can't protect ourselves like that! What can we do, I wanna go home to Edolas, fuck!"

"Don't worry Levy, I'm sure we'll be safe." He tried in a weak attempt to reassure both of them.

"Yeah, but not without a fight!"

They were both were stressed and anxious, they didn't know what would happen to them. They didn't even know why they had been captured. And they couldn't do anything against five mages. They didn't possess magic weapons anymore and their own strength was useless, they only could hope for a miracle. After a long moment in silence, their "jail" stopped suddenly, then disappeared. They fell on a cold hard ground, and brambles wrapped around them. They were in a kind of hut that exactly looked like a hangar, and the five men who had captured them were sat in circle on big wooden boxes.

"Hey! Do you mind to explain what we're doing here?" Levy shouted immediately.

Unlike Gajeel, her clothes didn't protect her from the thorns, and they had already marked her skin. Their abductors turned mockingly toward them, then the small squat man approached and crouch in front of the young girl who narrowed her eyes.

"Yeah, we mind." The man before them sneered. "But since you're a beautiful woman, I'll tell you. Human trafficking bring in money right now, we had to earn our lives. However I wonder if we shouldn't take advantage of you before we sell you, you're so pretty."

"Don't you dare touch her!" Gajeel suddenly yelled once he realized what those words were implying, he started to see red again. He couldn't stay here, motionless.

"What if I touch her? What will you do? Nothing, I guess."

And as for illustrate his words, a purple light surrounded his foot and he kicked Levy's face violently. The young girl screamed and hit the wall, before she collapsed, her face bloody, unconscious. Gajeel stood on his feet despite his ropes, but the punch in his stomach made him fall in the ground, breathless. This guy's blows were hurting more than the normal ones, he was sure it was connected to his magic.

Suddenly, the door burst from its hinges and met the opposite wall, completely smashed, a huge hole in the middle. Every man in the room jumped and stared at the entry.

"Gajil! You didn't need to explode the door!" A feminine voice that strangely sounded like Levy's protested, and by the way it belonged to a young girl who was wearing a yellow dress, and she looked like her perfectly.

"Got a problem with that Shrimp? I had to care about my entrance!" The second replied, and the journalist recognized this voice instantly, just as the person it belonged to.

The Gajil and the Levi from Earthland just arrived, they were saved!

The five men who had captured the Gajeel and the Levy from Edolas rushed at the newcomers, ready to fight. And they got wrinkle, like they never had been.

"Iron Dragon Roar!"

The Dragon Slayer blew four of his five opponents along with the wall, making the roof fall on the building's side. The creaking noise that followed meant that the trees hadn't been spared. However, the green haired hippie had dodged the attack and was rushing at them. But he didn't resist Levi.

"Solid Script: Fire!"

He burned as if she had blazed up a twig, as if his hair and his outfit were combustible.

"That was fast, I thought it would be funnier." The iron mage grumbled and scratched the back of his head, disappointed by the lack of stamina from his opponents.

Until he realized there were two more human being in the room, and not any ordinary ones. His dark red gaze locked on someone's whose resemblance with him was to great to be ignored, there was no way he couldn't remember. The both young men screamed the same thing, at the same time.

"YOU? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?


	7. Cohabitation?

**It's been I little while, right? Sorry about this, I was busy with a drawing on DA and my job and other stuffs and... hem! laziness too ^^'**

**Anyway Gajeel and Levy are back with this chapter 7! I hope you'll enjoy and won't be too lost with all the Edo/Earth name thing. Please tell me what you think anyway, your comments help us (me and Yankee chan) and please us too ^w^**

**I have a message for the ones who read my other translation, "Iron VS Words": it seems that the author, Suki, decided to put it on hiatus for now. So, I was planning to translate the chapter 4 after she would post the 5, but considering the situation, I will translate it now. After that... well I hope she won't give up (I wanna know what happens next too!) but we will have to wait a looooong moment (I plan to offer her my brother as a sacrifice if it can help her to keep up ^^')**

**I will also translate another fanfic from another author, Pacifique, about Gajeel and Levy (mainly, there'll be all the characters). It's called "Bonds and Rebirth" and I found it excellent! So I hope you'll read and like it too (the first chapter will be update soon)**

**There! I think I said everything (phew!) so... see ya!**

**I only own the translation and the mistakes. The story belongs to Yankee-chan and Fairy Tail belong to our mighty master Mashima!**

**x_X**

The journalist who had been free from his ropes when Levi had burned the green haired hippy, jumped in his Earthland counterpart's arms, tears in the eyes. Levy, as for her, was still behind, surprised and lost.

"Oh God, we're so lucky! I never thought I would see you again, I thought it was the end!" The poor Gajeel exclaimed.

"I never thought I'd see you again either!" The Dragon Slayer answered, dumbstruck. "Honestly, how did you arrive here?"

"Oh this? This is a long story, to tell the truth..."

"Er... Gajil?"

The two men who were patting manly each other's back with loud shouts turned toward the blue haired mage, who just interrupted them, and answered at the same time:

"Yes, what?"

At the moment, the poor girl almost grabbed her own head with a sigh. In the middle of their screams, she had faintly got that the guy with an afro haircut and a hat and the iron mage had the same name, and she knew it wouldn't make the things easy. She was embarrassed because she knew it was rude, but she really had to point a finger at the journalist and to ask:

"Who is he?"

"Oh, what a surprise! Could she be the Earthland Levy?" Gajeel asked justly.

"Yeah that's her" The Dragon Slayer confirmed. "Levi, this is my Edolas counterpart, you know I talked about him once."

"Yes it's true, I remember" Levi whispered, her cheeks turning slightly pink.

"Hey! I hope I'm not a nuisance for you?" The Edolas Levy grumbled as she stood.

Instantly, the journalist rushed at her to help her standing and apologized profusely. Both Earthland mages just noticed the mechanic's presence and observed her as if she was from another plan. Especially the Earthland Levi.

A few months ago, Gajil had told her about their Edolas adventures. For her, who had been turned into a lacrima, time had been stopped. She only remembered the moment when she was reading in the Guild hall as the rain was pouring outside. Then everything had gone black, her memories had stopped dead, as if there had been a long pause, and finally it began at the moment when she had seen Natsu and his team penetrated in the Guild, hurt everywhere. She had understood that something had happened, since she had never seen them stepped out of the Guild. Then she had seen Gajil, and the black cat who was accompanying him, along with Lisana, who was supposed to be dead. Shyly, she had walked toward the Dragon Slayer, congratulated him about his new partner, and he had explained everything. However, even if she knew she had a Edolas counterpart, it was still strange to really face herself.

"B-but this is... Me? She whispered, stunned.

"Look like she is, gihihi." The iron mage snickered as he heard her.

They were cut when the poor journalist was sent rolling between them, thrown by the blunette who had finally stood. She had her bottom lip swollen because of the kick she had been victim of, and she was boiling in rage.

"Well about time! When were you planning to help me, stupid ass? I guess you prefer a good talk rather than helping me, you ungrateful!" She yelled at the poor man who found himself head over heels a little further.

The Dragon Slayer narrowed his eyes, he didn't like the attitude of this Edolas Levy. She was sullying his kind Shrimp's name with her insults. And she was ill-treating his counterpart in addition. He would show her who was the boss here, and quickly.

"Oi the hysteric, you calm down right now, okay?" He growled.

He towered before her and he crossed his arms, as threatening as possible. Fail, the mechanic didn't have the intention to let anyone spit on her, and she hurried to copy her new rival's posture.

"You punk, get lost at your metalhead buddies and shut the hell up, or I swear I'll make you eat your hair!"

Gajil's eyes widened, speechless. Being insulted by a girl, who in addition looked exactly like his beloved bookworm usually so calm, was a real shock for him. And it enraged him, nice Levy or not, _no one_ had the right to talk to him like this.

So Levi suggested to adopt a new system in order to ease the atmosphere and change the subject. Since their first names were feeding the confusion, she had the idea to add "Edo" in front of the Edolas Gajeel and Levy, and "Earth" in front of hers and the Earthland Gajil. Everyone automatically agreed and even the mechanic admitted that her double had had a good idea. Even if she would have preferred to have it herself in order to impressed the boys.

Without wasting any time, they decided to leave and to go back to Fairy Tail to help their counterparts doubles to go back to their their world. The Dragon Slayer tied firmly the five mages they'd just beaten, and they walked into the forest. Edo-Levy was walking behind, pouting, while Edo-Gajeel was between the two mages, talking happily. It annoyed her, she didn't understand how they could act as if they were best friends, and he was supposed to be with her!

"Eh Black Sheep! Come, will you?" She ordered in an imperious voice.

The journalist turned toward her and was about to join her docilely, when his counterpart caught his arm and glared at the blunette.

"Hey wait a minute, you're not going to let that girl spit on you! You see how she treats you and you still want to go with her? You have to make her show some respect dammit!" He protested, outraged to see that his Edolas double was being "controlled" so easily.

"You fucking shut up, I didn't talk to you!" The mechanic screamed. "C'mere Gajeel!"

It was as if she was talking to a dog that just did something wrong, and her voice got louder to make him obey. But this time it didn't work.

"I'm sorry Levy, but I think my other me is right, you should be nicer." Edo-Gajeel said shyly, bright red because it was the first time he dared to counter a girl.

The mechanic turned purple, and opened her mouth as her eyes widened, shocked by his answer. The iron mage wrapped an arm around her friend's shoulders and dared the young girl to approach him. Edo-Levy didn't, instead she broke a branch and whipped the five poor unconscious captive mages the Dragon Slayer was dragging behind him. She was brooding over, kicking dead leaves and licking her swollen lip sometime, when she saw Earth-Levi slowing down her pace and to walk by her side. She was staring intensely at her with a small shy smile, as if she was trying to know how her double would react.

"What d'you want loser?" The mechanic growled, irritated by the mage's too nice behaviour.

"Oh nothing... I just wanted to know better my Edolas counterpart." The other answered, her smile growing even wider. "I noticed something strange by the way."

"Noticed what?" The blunette replied sharply.

"Your behaviour remind me Earth-Gajil a lot."

"I look like that ass? No way in hell, you're crazy!"

"The ass fucks you!" Gajil yelled who heard them, of course.

The mechanic wanted to throw a pebbled at him, but the Solid Script mage stopped her immediately as she grabbed her arm.

"Don't do it, he's going to get really angry. Please, be nice with him and he will be nice with you, it's not because you don't want him to give you orders that you have to act this way. You both would eventually get hurt and it would only handicap you, nothing more."

Edo-Levy stopped herself and growled. If this girl had been anyone else, she would have hit her, but the mage was right. Just like Earth-Gajil, she wanted to show she was the strongest and this thought was feeding the conflict. The other Levi was her exact opposite in fact, just like the journalist, and it annoyed her even more. She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted as she understood that everything was inverted here. Really, she didn't like Earthland, and yet paradoxically she felt close to her so-opposite counterpart. Actually, she was afraid that the kind Levi's image from here would destroy hers, her double was all she had always feared to become, and it made her feel awkward.

After a good half an hour of walk, the four "friends" were finally out of this damn forest and found themselves in a great city. Earth-Levi dragged everyone in a restaurant since her counterpart and Gajil's hadn't eaten since the day before and they were about to collapse from exhaustion. The Dragon Slayer went to the prison to get rid of the bandits and take care of the mission formalities before he left to join them.

The little mage confided with some pride she had managed to ask the Dragon Slayer if he could come with her. Edo-Gajeel congratulated her and seems happy about the relationship the two mages were sharing. However, Edo-Levy spat her wine drink and began to shout when she understood that her double loved secretly "the piercing clown" as she was calling him. Then at the same time, the iron mage arrived and was welcomed by the mechanic who, knife and fork in hands, jumped on him when he demanded her to stop screaming. The lunch at the restaurant quickly turned into a catastrophe, but too bother to see them fighting, the blue haired mage prevent the journalist to go to separate them. One might as well let them make the things clear once and for all. She kept eating, yet feeling embarrassed because everyone was staring at them.

Finally, they left, ashamed of the attitude of the Dragon Slayer and the blunette's, the tension between them becoming electrical. Edo-Levy had a big bump on the head and Earth-Gajil's nose was bleeding because she had bit him right here. The trip in the train to Magnolia was tense, excepted for the two peaceful people of the group. The Solid Script mage was reading a book and the journalist had his head on her shoulder to read as well. The Dragon Slayer was sulking because his bookworm didn't want to speak to him as long as he would act like a child and fight her double, who was in a very bad mood. She had refused the journalist's help when he wanted to heal her and she was now glaring at him, frustrated to see him so close to her "other self" too weak for her taste.

"Now that we have time, how did you arrive here?" Earth-Levi finally asked to ease the atmosphere, too tensed for her.

Knowing that the mechanic wouldn't speak, Edo-Gajeel did it himself.

"Well, Faust the former Edolas king, created an Anima to absorb the magic from your world, after you managed to destroy the first one. And, after a... combination of circumstances, he learned I was spying him, and he sent us here so we couldn't speak about it.

Edo-Levy didn't even thank him as he didn't talk about her mistake, and crossed her arms with a disdainful snort. However, a faint smile appeared on her lips when the blue haired mage promised to help them. Gajil seemed both amused and sorry to know that Jose had a counterpart in Edolas. Sorry because of his past at Phantom Lord, and amused because in Edolas, Jose was wearing constantly a white poncho, a mexican sombrero and fluffy shoes with rabbit head. Even in this world, his clothes were strange!

The rest of the trip passed rather fast, since they found a topic of conversation. They arrived in Magnolia at almost four pm, they crossed the crowed train station and reached the Fairy Tail building. For the Edolas Gajeel and Levy, it was something completely new. Even the architecture didn't look like their native country, and they were staring at everything with stunned eyes. The Fairy Tail building was clearly different comparing to Edolas, except the ambiance and the shouts they could hear from outside. At least there was something that sounded familiar to their ears. Without formalities, Earth-Gajil opened the door and invited everyone in. Yes, it wasn't really different, except the fact there was more people, and the ambiance was even worst than at Edolas, according to Edo-Levy, since the journalist rarely came to the mechanic's guild, he wasn't a member after all. By the way, speaking of the mechanic, she didn't go into rapture because of the architecture. No, she had better to do. Her eyes widened and a sadistic spark shone in them when she saw Lucy, sat at a table, helpless. She wondered if the Edolas Lucy would suffer if she hurt er counterpart right here. So to try...

She approached slowly from behind and pulled her hair so violently that she fell backward with a surprised and pained yelp. Grey, Erza, Natsu and Happy who were talking nearby jumped and a few seconds lasted before they reacted. No one was expecting Levy to hurt her best friend.

"Hey Levy! Why did you do that?" Natsu growled who stood, followed by the others who protested.

The mechanic didn't answer, grabbed a bottle which was on the table and would have broken it on the blonde's head if Earth-Gajil hadn't stopped her. It wasn't that he wanted to help the Bunny-Girl, it was just that he didn't want this wild child to wreck everything under his Shrimp's form. He made her let go of the spirit mage and pinned her on the floor. But immediately, Erza arrived from behind and gripped him in turn.

"Gajil! Don't you feel ashamed to attack Levy?" She screamed in an imperious voice.

Natsu threw himself at Earth-Levi to avenge Lucy. Edo-Gajeel jumped in front of her as the good knight he was, and despite himself, found himself against the fire Dragon Slayer.

"You metalhead, out of my way! I want to talk with Levi!" The pink haired mage growled.

"I'm so sorry but I can't let you hurt her, this isn't her fault, she hadn't done anything" The poor journalist tried to reason him, but his legs were shaking.

"Levi, I know you like Gajil but you shouldn't have taken him as a model at such a point!" Mirajane added.

"What?" The Solid Script mage chocked. "But I didn't do anything! And what are you talking about again?"

"Fucking bastards, let go of me, I'm going to kill that blondie!" The mechanic screamed.

"Levy, why did you hit me, what did I do? Are you out of your mind?" Lucy whined.

"ENOUGH, SILENCE! WHAT'S THIS RACKET, THIS IS WORST THAN WHEN YOU FIGHT!" Makarov yelled as he doubled in volume in order to stop the mages.

Instantly, all the mages got into rows, and the Fairy Tail members could notice an anomaly.

"Is that normal that there are two Gajil and two Levi?" Grey asked, surprised, as he glanced at his drink as if it was the culprit.

As soon as he finished his sentence, all eyes were on them, making Edo-Gajeel and Earth-Levi blush, while the two other were crossing their arms and glaring at the mages.

"Well..." The old master sighed as he massaged his temples and shrank. "Explain me, what does that mean?"

"Our Edolas counterparts had inconveniently arrived in our world. We had met them during our mission, and decided to bring them to Fairy Tail in order to help them to go back. I didn't attack Lucy, it was my double." The blue haired mage explained.

When she stopped talking, everyone turned toward the culprit, and Earth-Levi stood right before her.

"Are you out of your mind?" She screamed at her double. "Why did you attack Lucy, she hadn't done anything to you!"

"Shut up weak loser!" The other replied with the same tone. "I hate Lucy and this is reciprocal, I don't want to see her bitch face, even in Earthland!"

"Wow there is a huge difference between them!" Natsu noticed, holding Lucy in his arms.

Of course, the mages who had fought in Edolas remembered her, but they never expected to see her here, in Earthland, just like Earth-Levi.

"She is as terrifying as the Edolas Lucy, aye! Happy suddenly declared.

"What's going on here?" Pantherlily asked, both more and less surprised than the others.

"No, tell me I'm dreaming... Pantherlily? Since when have you turned into a little kitty? Fucking division commander, you're so screwed!" Edo-Levy snickered.

She nearly kicked him, but he dodged as he flew away, and Earth-Gajil intervened, furious that she dared to make a violent motion toward HIS cat. Really, he hated that girl. He growled and glared at her.

Ignoring her counterpart who was glaring at her, the mechanic turned toward the Dragon Slayer, ready to fight. But this time, Edo-Gajeel who couldn't stay still anymore. He stepped between her and the iron mage, the same flash of anger he had when they had arrived burning in his eyes.

"Stop being childish, Levy! The Lucy from here isn't the one from Edolas, you shouldn't have hit her! Show them some respect for God sake, without Fairy Tail we can't go back home, so stop messing with everyone!" He ordered, furious.

He, who until now had stayed in the shadow in his corner, just made a strong impression. Of course, Gajil had talked about his counterpart countless times, and had often prided himself on him. The mages knew him better than Edo-Levy, despite the fact that only Grey and Erza had really met him.

The mechanic was shocked to see that Gajeel dared counter her. And pissed too, because never someone had thrown her such reprimands in public. She clenched her fists, and with all the hatred she had accumulated since she had landed here, she strike the poor journalist right in the nose. Immediately Earth-Gajil caught him, but before anyone could stop the culprit, she had already stormed through door and disappeared furiously in the street, screaming insults.

The blue haired mage gripped her head with her hands, strangely tired. Really, her double was a catastrophe. She hoped nothing would happen if they let her in Magnolia all alone, but she didn't really want to run after her.

"If that bitch dare to step in again here, I swear I beat the crap out of her!" The iron mage threatened as he helped his friend to stay on his feet, completely mixed-up after being punched.

He was bleeding and was confused. Deciding to forget her double, the Solid Script mage arrived to help her and gave him an handkerchief he took with joy. Then he apologized for the mechanic's attitude as he sat on a bench. The mages gave him a condescending look when they heard him apologize when he did nothing wrong. They sat beside him and Mirajane bring him a huge coffee cup. He stayed the whole day at Fairy Tail, telling how he arrived here, how was the life in Edolas, and answering the questions from everybody about their respective counterparts. Elfman didn't like the fact he was a weakling, unlike Jet and Droy, who saw a hope to become better. Finally he provoked a general battle when he said that the Natsu and the Grey from Earthland were best friends and "dominated" by Lucy.

So he hid under a table with Earth-Levi and Pantherlily. This one took the opportunity to ask how the things were doing up there, and he was reassured when he learned that Mystogan had established a stable regime. Even if Faust worried him too. The journalist and the former commander could only hope that the situation wouldn't be damaged during the time they would spend here. When the calm came back, twilight was young and was colouring the sky. Mirajane arrived with food and everyone eat a feast worthy of a king. Edo-Levy still wasn't back anyway, the journalist began to worry. The clouds eventually convinced him that considering her character, she wasn't in danger, and he resigned not to search her in the whole town. Especially because she certainly wouldn't even thank him for this.

It was a bit more than ten hours in the evening when Gajil, his counterpart and Levi left the guild, where the ambiance didn't change. The Dragon Slayer had cordially invited his "other self" to sleep at his home as long as he was stuck in Earthland. The next morning, everybody would look for a way to come back to Edolas. Edo-Gajeel had heartily thanked them for their support, it had touch him deeply. Finally, despite the few misadventures he had to endure, this world wasn't so bad. The two men said goodnight to the blue haired mage who answered back, then they left toward the iron mage's house.

"Um, shouldn't we look for Edo-Levy? It still worries me since she didn't come back." The journalist suggested shyly, afraid to bother his counterpart with this.

"Don't worry, she's certainly at an hotel, well considering her character I wonder if one of them can accept to put her up" The Dragon Slayer growled, hands in his pockets.

"But she had no money to pay the hotel..."

"She certainly stole it from someone. Come on, don't worry, I'm sure she's alright."

The journalist could only trust his double, he didn't know where he had to go to find the mechanic. But he was like this, he felt obliged to worry about the young girl. A short moment later the two men reached the Dragon Slayer's house, and tired, they decided to go to bed. Gajil kindly gave his counterpart his guest room and checked if nothing could miss, like a mother with her child, then he went to bed in turn.

Knowing he wouldn't sleep immediately, Edo-Gajeel took a book Earth-Levi had lent to him, not to think about the mechanic that haunted his thoughts anymore. However, to his greatest surprise, she came back in his head less than an hour later. Scratch that, she came back in the flesh, and threw pebbles beside the windows to attract his attention. The journalist stood after a few seconds and came to open the said window, to be greeted by a:

"About time! Let me in Black Sheep!"

Gajeel sighed, growing tired. He scratched the back of his head, lean over the window ledge, then he stared at the young blue haired girl who was staring back, her arms crossed.

"Why would I let you come in considering the way you've acted with the people who are going to help us?"

"Oh shut up! Give me a break, I do what I want! It's cold outside, let me in, don't be an ass!"

"Earth-Gajil doesn't really like you, I doubt he accepts you in his house. By the way if you keep shouting you're going to wake him up."

"But I don't care about him! Come on please! Be a nice guy!"

She hated when she had to bow and beg like that, and her voice was betraying her. She was nearly hopping on the spot and was glaring at him. But the journalist wouldn't remain passive so easily this time.

"Why should I be nice when you're the one who hit me? Honestly Levy, I like you but sometimes I don't know how I can manage to stand you."

"You're still mad at me about that? Lord, you're so dense Gajeel! It's your fault anyway, you should have stayed out of my way. And who do you think you are to tell that, it's your idiot counterpart who brainwashed you? Come on, please!"

... He was once and for all too good. And he hoped that the blunette understood what he was trying to explain. Letting another long sigh escape, he walked out of his room on tiptoes, grabbed the keys Earth-Gajil had put on a piece of furniture. He opened the door slowly and almost got his nose crushed back when the mechanic wanted to enter.

"Be quiet!" The young man whispered, looking angry.

"Yeah, yeah." Levy answered disdainfully.

And then, she did something incredibly cheeky. Gajeel already regretted to allow her in. She stepped inside the guest room, sent flying the journalist's affairs, along with a pillow, and locked herself inside with a "good night" followed by an angelic smile. For a few seconds he stood motionless in the middle of room, then he shook his head violently. Resigned, he laid on the couch, he was a gentleman after all, he wasn't going to make her leave the room, especially when it was so late. He just hoped his counterpart wouldn't be too annoyed the next morning...


	8. Dealing with Jealousy

**I know, I late once again. Life upset me, turning me into a lazy girl (Friend of mine: You were lazy from the start! Me : SHUT UP!) so I didn't find the motivation to translate until now. Yes I have no excuse (at least no excuse I want to share)  
>So I hope you'll still like it and review it (even to say there was mistake, that I'm an horrible translator or whatever, just review please, I feel so empty! *dramatic effect*)<strong>

**I only own the translation and the mistakes. The story belongs to Yankee-chan and Fairy Tail belong to Hiro Mashima.**

**x_X**

The first thing Gajil thought as he awoke the next day was: '_Fucking birds'_. Every morning, they were squawking above his window and they awoke him. Plus Pantherlily didn't want to chase them. Of course, he could do it too, but they came back. Still slightly asleep, the Dragon Slayer sat on his bed, read the word his damn cat had left him, telling he was already at the guild, and he stood. Fortunately for him, it was already more than eight in the morning. Considering those birds' character, they could have awaken him earlier.

He dressed automatically, took slippers, and left his room yawning and rubbing the back of his head. At the moment he arrived in the living room, the Dragon Slayer's stomach growled loudly and he decided to go to see his Edolas counterpart who was still sleeping in the guest room, to share his breakfast with him. Well, at first, he was going to buy food at the nearest bakery, it was nothing at all, and he absolutely wanted his double to be happy and satisfied.

When he came in, he put his purchases on the kitchen table, then walked toward the guest bedroom with a huge smile. Except he had a surprise he hadn't expected. Gajil was rarely in a good mood the morning, and yet it was the case today, after all he wasn't going to complain. At least, not yet. So he opened the bedroom door with an uncommon joy, singing:

"Good morning, it's breakfast time!"

However, it wasn't the masculine voice he expected that answered him, no, this one was feminine and deprived of politeness.

"You dirty pervert! Get out of this fucking bedroom at once!" Edo-Levy bellowed.

If her hands hadn't suddenly caught the blanket on the bed when Gajil had appeared, she'd have taken the opportunity to throw something in his face. Because yes, the Dragon Slayer had opened the door while she was getting dress. He hadn't seen anything, too surprised, but it was too much. Now that the door was strictly close, angry like never before after discovering this young girls he hated instead of his beloved double, he began to roar in turn.

"What the hell are you doing here? In my house! Where is Edo-Gajeel?"

"In your fucking ass!" The bluenette replied behind the door.

He was going to kill her. No matter how, but he was going to kill her. He had crushed the door handle with such a strength it was deformed and was conserving his fingers' trace. In anger, his iron scales covered his body and a low growl escaped his mouth. He took care to articulate every word of this sentence, adding every time such a degree of threats that even the worst psychopath would be frightened.

"Get out of this room this instant."

Only insults answered him, and he did the same, using all the strong language he knew through the door, yelling so loudly that people could hear them two houses further. It should be noted that this mayhem quickly awoke Edo-Gajeel, still on the couch. He straightened with a moan and rubbed his eyes, still asleep and numb after having slept on something so uncomfortable. Instantly the Dragon Slayer turned toward him, but still annoyed, he couldn't help but shout.

"Why did you let her in, huh? Honestly, stop doing everything she says, you're not her dog! Leave her to die outside! Look at where you slept because of her!"

The journalist jumped and fell on the floor as he heard all those screams which were directed at him. But he hadn't done anything to deserve this. And fortunately his double had lowered his tone, he felt that if the decibels were still increasing, he'd have an headache.

"I'm sorry, so sorry, but I couldn't decently leave her outside, she doesn't know this world, she would have lost herself, or could have been kidnapped." He whined, staring at the floor.

"Stop finding excuses for her fuck! Aren't you tired of her controlling you all the time? Go to see her, and tell her clearly you have enough of her behaviour, come on!" Earth-Gajil ordered, he had the clear intention to show his double how to protect his pride.

"Y-yes, it's true that... I'm starting to have enough, but she is a girl, I can't yell at her like this."

"Yes you can, and you're going to do it, come on!"

After those wise words, the furious iron mage pushed his double toward the door, ordering him to go and give this girl a good correction. Fortunately for the poor man who found that the alarm clocks pretty rude at Earthland, it was Edo-Levy who opened, narrowing her eyes when she was greeted by his face.

"What, got a problem Black Sheep?"

Earth-Gajil left to grab a piece of iron. It was releasing to chew, he knew it. Then he came back in the living room and leaned against the wall, arms crossed, glaring at the scene.

"Y-yes, i-it's you my problem, Levy!" The journalist began shyly as he got more upset. "I have enough you behave atrociously with everyone, I'm ashamed of you! Honestly, you have to stop to believe I am someone easy to manipulate, it's not because I respect women that you have to belittle me in return! Stop!"

It was a first for the three of them, yes, it was the first time he was raising his voice. He felt a weight leave his shoulders, but he was also tense due to by the anger, and was gritting his teeth as he glared at the bluenette. He may be someone very patient, he also had his limits. And they was reached.

"How dare you talk to me in this tone! What's wrong in the empty head of yours? Fuck what did I do to meet such morons? Y'know what, I'm leaving, I'm going to go back to Edolas alone, and you, go the fuck to hell! Serve you right for using this tone with me! Besides, considering how happy you are to be here, it's better you stay here, it'll be paradise without you!"

Edo-Gajeel suddenly turned crimson. They almost expected that his hat suddenly jumped off his head, carried by some smoke, he was boiling in anger. By the way, he did something he never would have done if he wasn't so enraged. The mechanic's words just hurt him to such a point he couldn't control himself anymore. So he raised his arm, and he slapped her.

"You really are ungrateful!" He screamed before he rushed at the front door, opened it and slammed it violently behind him.

The Dragon Slayer couldn't help but burst out laughing when he saw the crestfallen look on the young girl's face, but he hadn't expected his double to leave like this. He hadn't even taken his breakfast! It wasn't a big deal either, he'd find him quickly, and they could talk. In any case, Earth-Gajil was proud of his other him suddenly. With a victorious smirk, he threw the keys at the bluenette's feet and left in turn.

"Lock the door and place the keys under the carpet when you leave, otherwise I swear I'll kill you." He ordered and closed the door in turn.

What did he just say? Edo-Levy was so shocked she didn't register what happened. Standing in the middle of the room, she was holding the cheek and staring at the door, a frantic look on her face. The whole side of her face was burning, along with her eyes. Gajeel had dared slap her? The world's gone crazy! She couldn't believe it. Being snubbed by this loser unable to protect himself, had actually reminded her what was her place. Yes, she had been really odiously. She had deserved it, this slap. But coming from him, it was like he had stab her right in the heart. Once again, she had ruined everything, destroyed everything with him. She would have liked to be nice, but she couldn't here, she felt too bad to allow herself the slightest slipping. Maybe if she was talking to her double, she'd feel better... she didn't know, but if she didn't try she wouldn't know.

Earth-Levi awoke with a start at the knocking noise from her door. She dressed at top speed and hurried to open it, only to find an Edo-Gajeel completely hysteric. Close to tears, he was stammering and breathless.

"Edo-Gajeel? But what are you doing here? And where is your double?" She asked as she looked at her left and right, looking for the said double, who wasn't here apparently.

"Oh... well... he stayed at home." The journalist stammered, shaking and red.

"You left?" The surprised mage guessed. "Come, tell me about this inside."

She wrapped her arms around his waist, with a reassuring smile, and she allowed him in before she closed the door. She force him to sit on the couch, then made a coffee hoping it would calm him. The poor man was shaking under spasms and was stammering, apparently he was shocked. When Levi asked him what happened, he told her everything in one breath, threatening to burst into tears anytime. Slowly and softly, the Solid Script mage hugged him and patted his back.

"So you regret to have slapped my double?" She asked shyly.

"I don't know... she deserved it, I don't accept she talks to me like this while I try to make ends meet. But I never use my fist against a woman, and I feel bad because of this."

His head buried in the young girl's, he was so ashamed that didn't even dare to look at her anymore. He was seeing the mechanic's look and her face through the one of his friend.

"I agree with you she had crossed the line. But if you really want to apologize, do it after she did herself, she had to understand her mistakes, and apparently it'll work only this way."

The journalist simply nodded, trying to calm his emotions despite the anger that were still boiling in him. Then suddenly, startling them, the front door burst open, revealing Earth-Gajil.

"Hey Shrimp, did you see my double?" He asked without even bothering to knock.

He froze in the middle of the room and tensed when he saw the two embracing people. What the fuck were they doing exactly?

"Gajil! Close the door, for heaven sake!" A blushing Earth-Levi protested.

Edo-Gajeel looked up and understood she wasn't talking to him when he saw his frozen counterpart before them, his eyes darker than usual for an unknown reason. He gingerly pulled away from the blue haired mage, then threw himself at the Dragon Slayer's neck, apologizing profusely for having left so quickly, without saying good morning.

The iron mage hugged manly his Edolas counterpart, before he stated it wasn't so terrible and that he wasn't mad at him, although he spoke in a cold voice. His eyes were piercing Levy, his jaw was clenched, and he seemed unhappy. The young girl sent him an inquisitive look, not understanding his reaction, but she didn't asked other questions, and he eventually looked away. Phew! Finally he had stopped glaring at her as if he wanted to roar at her! She began to feel guilty, even if didn't really know why.

"Ne, was Edo-Levy angry?" The journalist asked shyly.

"I don't think she's angry, she's just remained immobile like an idiot in the living room." Earth-Gajil growled back, letting go of his friend.

An awkward silence fell, it was clear everyone was hoping that the mechanic wouldn't do something stupid, because she was able to. So Earth-Levi stood, and approached the men. They watched her, digging their hand into their pockets. They were truly doubles, they had the same reactions.

"I think I'll spend a good part of the day with Edo-Gajeel, you should go to the guild to search for some ways to allow him to go back to Edolas, don't you think?" The Solid Script mage suggested, with a small innocent smile.

Here again, the Dragon Slayer glared at her, and she winced, feeling uncomfortable, already expecting him to say no. she really didn't understand why he was reacting like this. Especially when Gajil had planned to toughen up his double today. And yet, he accepted. Nodding, he turned around and left the house to head for Fairy Tail, not even bothering to close the door, sullen.

"You know, you don't have to do this, I really don't want to disturb you." An embarrassed Edo-Gajeel said.

"Don't worry, you don't force me at all, I am pleased to be with you. And, I have something I want to show you."

Considering that the mage just left her bed and that the journalist hadn't eaten yet, they shared a breakfast peacefully. Then they left, and Levi took the young man's hand to lead him in the crowded streets, despite the freezing cold. Until they reached the library.

As they went into the huge building filled with books, the dusty atmosphere and the smell of old paper almost made Edo-Gajeel cry in emotion. The young blue haired girl uttered a giggle, then she searched books about magical ways to allow them to reach distant places. The journalist did the same, and took the opportunity to take half a dozen other books. He wanted to know more about Earthland, and he was decided to read as much as he could today. Seeing this, Levi dug into her bag and grabbed strange red glasses.

"If you want to read all this, you'd need these glasses." She declared as she mentioned him to take them.

"Ah? Are they special?" The young man asked, curious.

"This is Gale-Force Reading Glasses, they are magical. Thanks to them you could read much faster, and you can finish books in only a few minutes."

"Wow, this is amazingly practical, really! Too bad we don't have theses item in Edolas."

"I give them to you if you want. Even if there is no Magic in Edolas so they probably wouldn't work, at least you'd have something to remember me."

They both blushed at those words, and an awkward silence fell.

"It is rare that someone give me something... thank you, you are nice." Edo-Gajeel declared suddenly.

He was watching the polish wood of the table with attention, uncomfortable, but happy. Earth-Levi answered with a smile and took a seat beside him. The whole morning, they studied, searching information in the books, and talking about their lives in their respective worlds. The journalist even earned some money when he helped the librarian to put some books away. As a consequence he hurried to take the blue haired mage to a lunch in a restaurant, and she accepted with pleasure. They talked about books above all, enjoying to describe the ones they loved the most, or the ones they didn't like, and they laughed tremendously. And when they left the restaurant an hour later, Levi holding her friend's arm, they bumped face to face into their respective doubles who were waiting outside, along with Pantherlily. Earth-Gajil was stamping and looked furious, while Edo-Levy looked sulky and was standing back.

"Is there a problem? What are you doing here?" Earth-Levi asked as she let go of the journalist's arm hastily when she saw the Dragon Slayer's glare.

"This is unbearable." The said man declared as he put a focus on the mechanic. "Someone had to keep an eye on this harpy, and I refuse to do it."

"What did she do again?"

"She'd slapped the old man because he wanted to look under her dress, and knocked out Jet and Droy."

Indeed, to tell the truth about this morning, once Edo-Levy had regain her composure, she had decided to go to Fairy Tail, thinking that the journalist would be there. She had put clothes her counterpart had given her, leading the confusion, and so everyone had kindly greeted her when she'd arrived, ignoring she wasn't the Levy they knew. The master was rather weird by the way, he was certainly a little drunk, and the young oblivious girl had become his target. When she had noticed what he was doing, the mechanic had done a U-turn, red with shame, slapped him and called him a pervert. Almost instantly, everyone's eyes had widened and Jet and Droy had rushed at the bluenette, fearing she was sick. Until she grabbed them by the scuff of the neck and banged their head together, still hurling insults. The poor boys found hard to recover from her "You're nothing but losers, I'm ashamed of you, I never thought you were so weak, fucking losers!"

After this, the mages had quickly understood she wasn't the usual Levy and Pantherlily had intervened. He nearly earned a kick, but it is only when he had transformed into his normal and impressive form Edo-Levy had surrendered. Then he had found Earth-Gajil, and the three of them had headed toward the restaurant where their doubles were eating. End of the little story.

Without bothering about other useless details, the iron mage caught his Edolas counterpart's arm, and led in the streets, followed by Pantherlily, with no glance for the two young girls. The journalist waved at the two Levy, then he followed his double without protest. Earth-Levi sighed at length and her shoulders bent. She had planned to go back to the library with her new afro haired friend, but because of Gajil, her plans were compromised.

"Tell me right now if I'm bothering you, instead of sighing." Edo-Levy growled, her arms crossed.

"Of course not!" The other replied as she looked up. "It's just that I don't know what to do to make you happy."

"Whatever. Anyway I don't care."

Unsure, the blue haired mage caught her counterpart's wrist, then she led her toward her house. The mechanic didn't utter a word or protest. Even if she had created some mayhem at the guild, the slap from this morning had really calmed her down. Once arrived, the young girls went to the living room, and Edo-Levy cursed as she noticed all the books. Annoyed, she sat on the couch and began to nose about a weird little round machine, with cables that were fusing from everywhere.

"What is it?" The Solid Script mage asked, curious.

"Something I created and I try to make it work. If I can do it, maybe we could stop this fucker Faust from taking the Edolas capital." The mechanic eluded, focused on her fingers.

"I didn't know you liked the machines this much. But I hope wholeheartedly it will work."

"Actually, I'd have like to create a machine which could have sent us back to Edolas, but I don't know how t'do it." The bluenette confessed with resentment. "I don't like Earthland, I feel alone, awkward, and always insecure because I don't know anything, I'm afraid. I truly wanna go home and yet I can't! It pisses me off!"

Earth-Levi saw her double wipe with rage her eyes and sniffled, but she made no comment. The poor girl was at breaking point from the start, but her pride was preventing her to show it. Now that she was alone with her double, and with no one else, she could allow herself to break.

"Yet you don't have to feel threatened, you are part of the Edolas Fairy Tail, just like I'm part of the Earthland one. If something would happen to you, we'd fight to help you, this is the guild's spirit."

The mage gently patted her double's back, hoping that words would be enough to calm her.

"And I know everyone hates me. Even Gajeel hit me, this fucker!"

"If he did it, it's merely because he had enough that you fought with everyone. He apologize for you every time for your attitude, and tries to stand you. He makes huge efforts not to break your friendship and so he submits to you, but he does it reluctantly, because you don't help him a lot. He had to let it out too. Apologize, and you'll see, he'll forgive you quickly."

"Tsk, you think I'm going to apologize to a square like him?"

"Yes, that's what I think."

The mechanic opened and closed the mouth, her eyes narrowed. The discussion was over, she didn't know how to answer this. She crossed her arms and pouted, slightly upset because of what her other self from Earthland just said. They spent the rest of the afternoon together. Earth-Levi had search books speaking about mechanics amongst her huge collection, and had even shown a demonstration of her magic, before the puzzled eyes of the other young blue haired girl. Finally, when the night began to fall, they decided by mutual agreement to find the boys. Edo-Levy would try to apologize to the journalist, and Earth-Levi wanted to know why the Dragon Slayer was acting so strange with her for the beginning of the day.

They left the mage's house and walked into the streets with a will. In fact, they were getting along well, even if it was still hard for the mechanic to accept her double's character, sometimes. After a few minutes, they stopped in front of the Dragon Slayer's house, hearing strange noises inside. It was as if someone was moving pieces of furniture. But what were they doing inside?

The two young girls approached and stuck their ears next to the front door, Even if the blue haired mage showed more reticence than her Edolas double. Then, they listened carefully what was happening inside.

"Lily, go behind my double, and I'll take him by the front, okay?" Earth-Gajil ordered from the other side of the door.

"I'm not sure to be ready for this." Edo-Gajeel's voice rang, who seemed slightly worried.

"Don't worry, we'll be slow not to hurt you if it is your first time." Pantherlily reassured him.

The two young girls were shocked. Earth-Levi was bright red and the other version's eyes were as big grands as plates.

"What the hell is going on? What the fuck are they doing inside?" The mechanic exclaimed and stood suddenly, dumbfounded.

"I think we shouldn't jump to conclusions at once." The mage whispered in a weak attempt to reassure herself.

Was it right to... do _things_ with his double? Technically, it was like doing something with oneself... the blue haired mage won't see the two men the same way after this...

"You'll see, I'm going t'make them stop their shambles!" The mechanic screamed, suddenly completely red.

If the piercing clown dared influence the journalist and turn him into a pervert, or if he'd try to shock him, or traumatize him, he was going to regret it! Annoyed, she smashed down the front door with rage in a kick.

"We heard everything, don't try to hide, you bunch of perverts!" She yelled loudly.  
>Edo-Gajeel yelped and the two others almost hit the ceiling.<p>

"What the hell are you doing here both of you? Don't you see I'm trying to teach my other me to fight?" The Dragon Slayer groused.

When they realized they were completely wrong, the two young girls felt alone on the doorstep. But of course, they weren't going to explain the reasons the mechanic had exploded the door. Even if, considering she had screamed: "bunch of perverts", the suggestions were pretty obvious and easy to find.

"I think we all need to talk, considering what happened today." Earth-Levi began shyly who were admiring her beautiful shoes not to have to look at the boys.

Edo-Gajeel approached shyly his Edolas partner who merely gave him a brief glance for now, before she crossed the arms.

"I'm going to speak with Edo-Levy outside, I guess, we're going to leave." He stated.

He had perfectly noticed the tension between his two friends, and he didn't really like this. He preferred to let them solve their problems in peace.

"You don't have to, huh." Earth-Gajil grunted and crossed his arms.

"It's just that I don't want to disturb you. And then, Edo-Levy had nowhere to go, it may be more well-advised to go to an hotel..."

The Dragon Slayer looked down and sulked. He didn't like the idea that his counterpart leave from his house, he would have liked him to stay. They could have slept under the same blanket, with a light, and talking about scaring stuffs. Well, apparently it was a failure. He sighed and mumbled a "do as you wish", before he went to grab some money and gave it to him to pay the hotel. The journalist thanked him warmly and patted him manly in the back, then he left, not without having promised to come back if the mechanic would bother him, under her glare.

Once outside, the young girl finally allowed herself to glance at her friend, with more reserved this time, still. Hands in the pockets, her serious expression was still shining in her eyes, even if it was also mixed with some caution. Was he afraid to get hit too? Edo-Levy could have done it, yes. But she didn't want to lose one of her only ally in Earthland.

"You know, for this morning... I'm sorry." She grunted and looked away, evasive.

"When someone apologizes, we look the person into the eyes, at the very last." He answered tit for tat in a sweet voice despite everything. No, he wasn't going to give up.

With a sigh, the mechanic stared back at him and locked eyes with his. Her cheeks reddened and she slapped herself inwardly, even if her hand wanted to do the same in the reality.

"I was blessant from the start and I needed you to slap me for me to realize. So I'm sorry for my behaviour."

She gritted her teeth not to turn away and faced the young man's eyes, who felt suddenly immensely relieved. He even gave her a beaming smile, that made her blush even more. But what, it was only an apologize, there was no reason to be so happy! However he was, he was so happy he hugged her with a giggle. She didn't pushed him away, but wished she could and nearly did it. Instead, she preferred to act like a post and wait.

"I guess I have to apologize too. I shouldn't have hit you, it wasn't very nice from me either, and I am sorry." He then said as he placed his hand on her shoulders.

"It's okay. Let's forget this." She managed to answer without growling. "Well, let's go, it's getting cold outside, and I'm tired."

The young man nodded and gently took his friend's arm, to lead in the streets until the hotel.

The door had barely closed when a deafening silence engulfed the room. Earth-Levi was still watching her shoes and the Dragon Slayer seemed pretty unhappy. By the way, he didn't seem to be, he was. His arms crossed, he was stamping, and was growling frequently. And to think the mage didn't even know what she had done wrong! She looked around and noticed that Pantherlily was mysteriously gone. She just lost a moral support, too bad.

"Well, come on, I don't have the whole night." The mage in front of her growled.

"Are you mad at me?" The young girl asked hesitantly.

"No, ecstatic."

She never told anyone, but she loved her shoes. She had bought them on sale a few days ago, and since this, she never walk without them. En plus, they had reinforced soles, it made her appear a bit taller. Even if she just wished to shrink right now...

"At least can I ask why?"

"Because you don't have a single idea?"

He stepped forward and she was forced to step back against the wall. She moved her head from side to side, feeling a ball in her throat and the tears forming. She didn't do anything wrong, or at least nothing that could have upset him to this point!

With a low growl, Gajil hit the wall behind Levi, pinning her with his hands, so close of the young girl's neck that she couldn't even turn the head anymore and she couldn't do otherwise than staring back at him. They were nearly touching, she could feel his sharp breath burning with fury on her skin. His eyes were burning with fury, pierced her intensely, hurting her from the inside. This game lasted for multiple minutes, and finally, he snapped.

"What does my counterpart have more than me, huh?" He began to roar, furious. "It's because he's polite and nice if you prefer be with him and not with me? Or because he has afro hair and the best clothes? Because he's the best singer? You think I didn't see your little game? Answer me!"

"B-but... you are jealous, Gajil!" The mage suddenly realized, both stunned and horrified.

She saw the Dragon Slayer's eyes widened in surprise as he clenched his teeth. Apparently she just committed a big mistake.

"Jealous because of my double? No way! You're totally crazy!"

Furious, he glared away, he didn't want to look at Levi. He simply didn't want to admit he was jealous of his beloved Edolas counterpart. To the point he had followed and spied them during the whole morning instead of going to the guild. But hating his double seemed inconceivable, and yet, despite himself, he was well and truly jealous and angry that someone had taken his Shrimp.

"You know Gajil... if I talk with your double, it doesn't mean anything. Anyway... the one I like the most... is you." The blue haired mage confessed as she blushed horribly.

And yet, his wrath didn't calm. Levi shrank even more, even if she couldn't look away from the iron mage's dark eyes. Shyly, she placed a shaking hand on his shoulder, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. Gajil tensed even more, and his eyes widened for a thousandth of second, but it was enough for the girl to notice a flash completely different, devoid of anger, shining.

The Dragon Slayer's hand left the wall, went down and caressed the young girl's neck. She shuddered suddenly at this touch, gripping Gajil's coat in an attempt to get closer to him despite the lack of space. Their lips brushed shyly at first, but this contact ignited the black haired man, and he greedily pressed his mouth harder against the Solid Script mage's. Her head tilted on the side, she didn't resist, kissing back with passion, and moaning when he pushed her back harder against the wall. Her hands dove in his hair and they both shivered deliciously. In the end, Gajil wasn't sorry that his counterpart was gone at the hotel, the night was going to be warm.

And so the two mages rushed in the bedroom, never letting go. Pantherlily would have to take the couch when he'll be back.

Edo-Gajeel and Edo-Levy had said goodbye to their respective counterparts and had left them alone. Earth-Gajil had given them a good hotel address and money to pay it. It was built next to the Kaldia Cathedral, and they reached it quickly, in a morose silence. Once inside, the journalist took care of reserve a room while his friend who was playing with the plants' leaves in the reception.

The journalist got a key and called shyly the mechanic who stopped torturing the plants to follow him, without a word. They took a elevator, walked along a corridor and reached their room. It was maybe small and only composed with a bedroom and a bathroom, but it was pretty and seemed comfortable.

"'m going to change." Edo-Levy declared as she pushed the bathroom door.

Edo-Gajeel sat on the edge of the bed and took one of the books Earth-Levi had lent him to read. The mechanic came back a few minutes later and laid immediately in the bed, whispering a faint "good night" to her friend. Then she fell asleep while he kept reading.

However, she woke up during the night because she was thirsty, and straightened in the bed, her mind cloudy. She turn on the light and raised an eyebrow as she realized that Gajeel wasn't sleeping beside her as she had hoped he would. She staggered toward the bathroom, wondering where he could be, and she pushed the door. But when she reached the washbasin, she jumped and held back a scream as she saw the man of her thoughts, asleep in the tub, his head against the glass. What the hell was he doing here? She hesitated to kick him awake, but preferred to go to take a few pillows along with a blanket, there were too many in her bed after all. She grumbled between her teeth and placed the pillow behind Gajeel's head, before she put the blanket over him and his hat beside him. She tousled his hair, stood and left.

"Sleep well, square." She said and half opening the door.

Then she came back to bed, feeling still sorry he wasn't resting right beside her.


	9. Back to Edolas

**Finally I found the time (and the courage to fight my laziness) to finish this chapter. It isn't the longest though  
>Anyway I hope you'll like it!<strong>

**I only own the translation and the mistakes. The story belongs to Yankee-chan and Fairy Tail belongs to Mashima-sama.**

**X_x**

When Edo-Levy awoke the next morning, in the hotel room, the sun was already high in the sky. She snuggled up in her blankets when she felt the cold autumn wind rush through the open window. She didn't want to leave the bed, but she had to. Edo-Gajeel and she had to find their respective counterparts absolutely and finally find a way to go back home.

Sighing, the mechanic stood and closed the window. She dressed quickly, glancing briefly at the bathroom door where her friend was sleeping. Once her undershirt and her miniskirt were put in place, she tied her black headband in her hair and went to awake the journalist. But he wasn't in the bathroom actually. Paralyzed before the half-open door, the bluenette was staring at the inside of the tub where the young man had slept, almost expecting to see him appearing as if by magic.

But after a few seconds, she gave up and closed sharply the door. Even her friend's stuffs weren't here anymore, was he really gone? But where? It wasn't in his habits to leave without a word.

"What a fucking bastard, how dare he to leave me here on my own!" She fumed.

Edo-Levy gathered her own stuffs furiously, then left the bedroom, smashing the door once again. She threw the key into the receptionist's face mumbling some insults, before she ran in the street. Maybe Edo-Gajeel was at his double? She hoped so, she didn't want to see him if it wasn't the case. And she didn't want to appear like a poor worried girl before the two Earthland mages, she would rather die!

Earth-Levi was emerging slowly, disturbed by the chirping birds. A grumble in her back told her that Earth-Gajil was here too. She smiled and stretched lingeringly, moaning and happier than ever. She turned slowly in the bed toward the Dragon Slayer, who was laying on his belly, his head sunk into the pillows. Giggling, she came closer and climbed on his back, whispering his name. After all, he looked so hard and dense that the young girl's weight couldn't be a burden for him. She caressed his muscled shoulders then slid her hands into his hair.

"Are you that tired?" She asked innocently.

She bent and kissed the iron mage's neck, before he turned his head toward her.

"I'm not tired, I was thinking, that's all." He grumbled, capturing the young girl's lips.

"About yesterday evening? You know, I stayed with your counterpart because I wanted to learn about him, you used to talk about him so many times. Don't be jealous of him, I don't want you friendship to be ruined because of me."

Gajil pouted. He knew he had no reason to be jealous. But still! Even if he saw his Edolas counterpart as a close friend, he couldn't help but notice their opposite sides. And he knew he had plenty of faults, unlike Edo-Gajeel. Settling more deeply in the bed, he wrapped slowly his arms around Levy's waist, caressing her back with his fingertips.

"And yet, you still share more aspects with him than me." He muttered.

The blue haired mage rolled her eyes then pocked the Dragon Slayer's forehead.

"Lord you are so stubborn. You are my favorite, you and your strong and wild side, not him who is helpful and cultured. Besides, you were the first to appear in my life and then, I prefer to learn to know about someone who's not interest by the same things than me."

She smiled, hoping she had convinced him, then she laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes. To tell the truth she hadn't planned to talk about it, but she was too happy to let her boyfriend's stupid jealousy ruin her morning. Nothing could have disrupted the tranquility of the moment, well almost nothing... beside the front door that slammed violently against the wall. Surprised, the two Earthland mages looked up simultaneously as they detected the sound of hurried footsteps, then they jumped when the bedroom door slammed open, revealing Edo-Levy, breathless and with messy hair.

"Hey! Piercing Clown! Bring your ass out of the bed and help me!" She bawled, her voice shaking the walls.

Her eyes widened and she nearly choked at the scene before her: her Earthland counterpart who was in the bed too, under the blanket and without personal space between her and the Dragon Slayer. And considering that their clothes were spreading in the whole room, the hypothesis the had slept together was clearly obvious. The mechanic turned purple and her hand tightened around the door latch. Her furious eyes locked with the blue haired mage's stunned and shocked ones, then with Earth-Gajil's, who was rather unhappy.

"First of all, you don't smash my door, you knock." The iron mage grunted. "And then, tell me why I should help a pain in the ass like you."

For once, Edo-Levy decided to forget the two mages' love story. After all, she couldn't waste her time now.

"Edo-Gajeel is gone! I don't know where this idiot is, he wasn't at the hotel when I woke up. And just to to tell you, your cat isn't here either."

"Lily is gone too?" Gajil suddenly worried.

"Have you checked at the guild?" Earth-Levi asked.

"No, so get dress and come with me!"

After this pleasant exchange, the mechanic left the bedroom, slamming the door, and waited in the living room. Yes, she was worried, especially since she had trouble to imagine Edo-Gajeel protecting himself against the mages who could attack him. The Dragon Slayer left suddenly the bedroom, looking sullen, followed by Levy, who seemed very embarrassed that her Edolas double had witnessed her situation. Without a single word, in an heavy silence, they reached the guild and walked in.

The inside was already animated, since Natsu, Grey and Elfman were fighting in a corner. Erza was eating a cake with Wendy at the girls table and the master was reading some questionable magazines under Mirajane's reproving look, but there was no trace of Edo-Gajeel. The mages moved aside hastily when Edo-Levy sprinted toward Lucy, sat at a table. She grabbed her by the collar and began to shake her, ignoring the screams and protestations that erupted.

"I know the blondies are usually nuts, but I'm sure it is YOU who managed to remove Black Sheep only to piss me off. Tell me where you hide him before I make you eat your own teeth, you big caw!" She yelled in fury.

Almost instantly, Gajil threw himself on her, followed by Natsu and Grey, and even Loki who had appeared. They managed to make her let go of her prey and the iron mage pinned her to the wall. About the Blondie, she'd merely fainted, traumatized by this new attack from the double of her best friend. Earth-Levi apologized for her by the way, then she asked more calmly if someone had seen the journalist.

Only negative answers were heard. No one had seen him, he wasn't in the guild. Gajil search him (and his precious cat) in the whole city, trying to catch their scents, but he didn't find anything. Edo-Levy took it out on the mages, and it quickly became unbearable. Earth-Levi, on the contrary, was trying to reassure them despite her own anxiety. But as the hours went by, irritation and stress were increasing, so that the mechanic eventually snapped. Without warning she began once again to insult everyone, screaming that her friend had left her and had returned to Edolas without her.

This oppressing feeling was choking her, and despite her anger, she wasn't able to clear her mind enough to calm down. She left the guild once again, running just like the day before, before anyone had the time to reassure her. She only felt the need to close her mind now, and for this she had to run, as far as she could. Head bent, she rushed through the front door and stepped onto the street. Fatal error. Since she didn't have the possibility to notice him before, she ran head first into a certain black haired journalist who just arrived. The Fairy Tail mages jumped as they heard a loud noise and they rushed outside. Edo-Gajeel was laying on the ground, and the mechanic was on her backside and was massaging her head.

"KAH! What a crazy idea to run that way!" A small white cat yelled suddenly with a straw hat.

Happy and Sharuru who had remained beside Natsu and Wendy, jumped as they recognized the two cats from Edolas who had put them up when they had flee from Extalia. And they were, secondarily, the little blue cat's parents. Even if they hadn't told him.

"Marl! Lucky! It's been a while!" The two little cats answered as they threw themselves on their seniors.

"Oh, you are here too?" Marl exclaimed holding her son and Sharuru tight.

"KAH! You didn't change since the last time."

The hug of the strange white cat with a mustache was more awkward, but Lucky was like he was, and the racket he was making amused everyone. At least, the atmosphere was relaxed now. Relaxed? Yes, maybe, until some shouts and insults rang beside the reunite Exceeds. When Edo-Levy finally understood she had run into her friend she thought lost, she stood there fuming, her spanner in hand.

"But where the hell were you?" She brawled at the top of her lungs as she threw her tool at his face.

The poor man who just had the time to stood leaped aside and protected his head with his hands. Even if it was the window of the house behind him that took the blow, rather than him.

"I was just trying to find the Exceeds with Pantherlily." Edo-Gajeel protested. "The idea that maybe they could help us to go back to Edolas struck him that night, and he came to tell me. But I had left you a letter on the bed to explain the situation!"

A letter? The mechanic hadn't seen anything... well, she hadn't try to find anything in the first place and she had immediately accused him wrongly, it was true...

"So you've disturbed us for nothing?" Earth-Gajil roared suddenly, he hadn't been happy to be rushed out of bed.

"Gajil, stop." Earth-Levi replied and put an appeasing hand on his arm. "She just hadn't seen it, those kinds of thing can happen to anyone."

The young girl Edolas looked down, contrite and red with shame. She had lost her temper for nothing now she looked like an idiot in everyone's eyes. Clenching her fists, she hold back her tears as best as she could. She knew perfectly she had screwed those mages' morning, they were mad at her, it was obvious. Damn it, just what she needed. Her blood was pounding on her ears, so that she couldn't hear anything and she was staring at the floor as if she wanted to pierce a hole to disappear inside. Lost in her anger, she could only feel arms grabbing her waist firmly, and she felt herself pulled against something warm that smelled paper. Edo-Gajeel. She looked up at him and locked her eyes on his, where a shy glimmer was shining. She could have pushed him away, but she didn't.

"You were worried about me?" He asked innocently.

There were too many proofs against her, she couldn't lie. Evading was better. Looking away, she pouted.

"Wasn't it obvious?"

She felt the journalist tightening his hold, and instinctively she did the same, wrapping her arms around his back, secretly relieved to see him.

"This touches me deeply." He whispered. "But you know, I'd have never left you behind. You are my friend, I'll never do this to you."

They remained like this for a few seconds, then they pulled apart, slightly embarrassed. And with the sensation that their hearts had melt, secondarily.

"Well, what about someone could enlighten me..." Earth-Gajil stated, his arms crossed.

Panther Lily leaped nimbly on his partner's shoulder and let him caressing his head. Yes the Dragon Slayer had been worried about his cat, so what? Breathing deeply and checking that everyone was listening, because he didn't like to repeat, the little black cat started to explain briefly.

"The Exceeds' wings had been created in order to come back to Edolas. They came in Earthland just because Extalia was destroyed, but they can come back. Queen Shagotte had showed me the place where she and the others would stay. When I thought about it, I've searched your counterpart to bring him there. He was able to explain the problem to the queen better than me. So, Lucky and Marl had been voluntary to help them to go back home."

"Is that true?" Edo-Levy suddenly cried in joy.

Stars were dancing in her eyes. Finally she could see once again the hope to come back home.

"Yes, it is. And it is our pleasure to help you." Marl smiled beside her.

Cheerful exclamations could be heard from the groups, the louder ones from Natsu, Grey, Lucy and Erza of course. Happiness and relief surrounded them. Edo-Gajeel apologized verbally to be gone without warning, reluctantly followed by his blue haired friend who didn't like to be accountable. Even if deep down, the compassion the Fairy Tail members were showing affected her deeply. It was so different at Edolas, where everyone was mocking her and where she had to rebuff everyone not to lose her honor.

However, despite the new sense of euphoria that had submersed her, Edo-Levy didn't hide her eagerness. She wanted to go back to Edolas as fast as she could and all could see it, so a good part of the guild, along with the journalist, the Exceeds and herself, took the train for Shirotsume, the nearest town from the place the had fallen from. They left just after biding goodbye to those who stayed at Fairy Tail a last time.

Then, they used a map to find the pond where they had landed, then they walked, surrounded by a morose silence shattered only by a few pieces of conversations. The group crossed the forest where the two Edolas people had been "kidnapped", and they had even the chance to meet the same bear that had chased them from the cave. But considering the number of mages, it preferred to run away. Earth-Gajil was disappointed, it could have been fun to fight a bear. He could have impressed his Shrimp. It was a cold and wet day, it would been certainly raining in a few times. What a depressing day to say goodbye to your friends...

They reached their destination too fast and the common sighs could be heard from everywhere. Except from the mechanic. She was almost hopping in joy. Instinctively, they all looked up toward the sky. Toward this world they couldn't see, but whose entry were just above. Edolas was smaller than Earthland. Of course, they could have flown from the guild to here, searching the passage in the sky. But nothing guaranteed that Lucky and Marl could hold on for a long time with their magic activated. It was better to make the job easier by reducing the distance.

"Well, I guess it's time to go." The Dragon Slayer muttered gruffly.

He dug a rough hand into his black mane, a weird pout spreading on his face. No, he didn't want his double to leave. And it was not only visible but also palpable. But he didn't care, for once. Edo-Gajeel showed the same expression when he gazed at his counterpart. They snapped almost simultaneously and threw themselves at each other to share a hug manly. Well, as manly as possible despite their shining eyes.

"Take care, my Edolas me." Earth-Gajil growled, his eyes tightly shut so no one could see his sadness.

"You too, my Earthland me." Edo-Gajeel answered, patting his back. "I was happy to see you again."

A faint smile full of awkwardness spread on his face and he patted gently the shoulder of the iron mage he had shared so much things with. Then, he turned toward Earth-Levi who hugged him in turn.

"Be careful, Edo-Gajeel. And don't forget to think about me when you'll read with my glasses." She joked in order to ease the atmosphere.

"For sure I certainly will. Look after my double as best as you can, Earth-Levi."

His sentence attracted an angry and mocking look from the mechanic, and the Dragon Slayer rolled his eyes to heaven. He was thinking the contrary, but he didn't feel like rebuffing his double. However the journalist was too busy flying into everyone's arms to notice his annoyed look. Marl and Lucky were exchanging a few words with Happy and Sharuru, at the edge of the pond. Shyly, Edo-Gajeel headed for them after saying goodbye to everyone, then he declared:

"I think we are ready to leave."

"KAH! Not too early! You're going to make me cry with your reunions!" Lucky shouted despite the fact he was actually crying as well.

Edo-Levy was standing apart, and hadn't said anything to anyone. But she couldn't ignore the hand offered before her.

"No hard feelings?" Earth-Gajil growled. He had discreetly approached her, looking unaffected even if his words were betraying what he was feeling, for once.

If his new girlfriend hadn't pushed her elbow into his stomach, he wouldn't have done the first move. Ah girls... The mechanic stared at the extended hand, then at the mages, then at the journalist. With a sigh, she took it, trying to make him suffer, just like he tried as well. Both of them were smirking arrogantly, but for once, none of them made cutting remarks.

"Yeah. No hard feelings." She stated with a provoking smirk.

She then turned toward Earth-Levi and gazed at her for a long time, overwhelmed by indecision. Finally she eventually gave up and hugged her double in turn, wishing back the same recommendations the blue haired mage was saying to her. She waved faintly and shyly at the other Earthland Fairy Tail members, who returned the gesture along with a beaming smile. Then she stood next to Marl who caught her and lifted her from the ground once her wings had grown in her back. She turned toward Edo-Gajeel who was in the same position and was holding his hat in place not to let it fall. The takeoff was slow, to let the time to everyone to shout encouragements and hopeful words once again for those who were from their opposite world. The waving gestures were fusing, until the two Edolas people were so high that the silhouettes below appeared like colored grains of sand.

"KAH! I'm too old for those kind of emotions." The white cat bawled, staring at a spot into the clouds, as if it could prevent the others to see the tears in his eyes.

"Come on Lucky, don't cry for this, you have to be more positive." Marl comforted him with an embarrassing smile.

She was trying as best as she could to calm a mechanic who seemed to have a big vertigo issue and was screaming at the top of her lungs as she waved her arms at full speed. The journalist grabbed her hand with a little laughter and advised to look up while the two cats were flying closer and closer from the cloudy layer. The temperature was turning icy, and the air that rushed into their lungs seemed frozen. They pierced the clouds, and escaped them completely soaked. Before they had to slow roughly, it was close that they nearly hit an enormous rocky mass.

"KAH! We can't see anything with that fog, a bit more and we'd have fallen back!"

Edo-Levy restrained herself to spit a remark at the cat about his incessant "KAH", but got a hold on herself, too happy to finally see Edolas again. Even if technically they were right below. Both cats flew along the rock face, then followed the curve to get higher. Once they'd passed the clouds, they found themselves above the main island, before a large plain. It was the beginning of the afternoon, unlike Earthland where the sunset was close, paradoxically. The Exceeds landed finally on the ground, where the bluenette hurried to lay, delighted to find the dry land.

"Thank you so much, without you we couldn't hope to come back." Edo-Gajeel declared with a beaming smile.

"You're welcome, it is normal. By the way it was a pleasure, even if Extalia doesn't exist anymore, the fact to see our former land makes us happy too." Marl answered and patted his cheek.

"KAH! Are you kidding me? You were so heavy!" Lucky complained even if he hurried to do the same.

They bid farewell to each other quickly, before the cats dove back toward Earthland, not wasting their time, afraid their magic could run out. The journalist remained motionless for a long time, observing the clouds in which they had disappeared, already nostalgic. Edo-Levy didn't say anything, and merely placed a hand over his shoulder, without looking at him. They both knew what it meant. Return to Earthland to stay with their respective counterparts wasn't in the natural order of things. Even if Edo-Gajeel wanted it above all because the Dragon Slayer had been his only confidant, he had to get used to the idea he would never see him again. And for this, the mechanic knew she'd better not say anything, even if strangely, she wanted to whisper that she was still here. Minutes went, the air surrounded by silence, a morose silence, full with sadness. But the journalist didn't cry, he didn't. Staring at the clouds, the young blue haired girl decided finally to ask weakly:

"What now?"

The young man turned toward her, a strange light shining in his eyes. He already knew what he wanted to do.

"Let's stop Faust before he takes the capital! We left three days ago, he certainly hadn't had the time to stock the whole magic necessary to go onto the attack, we still have a chance."

The young girl nodded. That was a good plan. They took their marks quickly, and concluded that the former king's den had to be in about half an hour in the south from here. And, holding hands, they left to set up their plan.


	10. Fight today, live tomorrow

**It's 1am. I'm tired but I've finished it! I'm going to sleep well ^w^  
>Thanks for those (rare) who reviewed this fanfiction. It makes me so happy<br>Please tell me what you think and enjoy. And let me remind you that I am only the translator and I don't own anything her besides my mistakes. So try not to kill me ^^'**

**X_x**

"Well, what now, got an idea?"

Laying in the grass, behind a large thick bush, in the shadow of some big trees, Gajeel and Levy were watching carefully Faust's hiding place, built at about five hundred meter away from them. In other words, the only thing they saw was the hut/guardroom, and inside were the stairs leading to the new palace of the king. Even if they were far, the adrenaline was making the muscles tensed and making the two young people's heartbeats quickened. The mechanic, who was the one who spoke, was playing nervously with he spanner, glaring at the little house. The journalist, as for him, was currently drawing a map of the palace. He remembered the place, but Levy never came here, well she weren't conscious, so she didn't know where to go and she risked to attract some problems.

"Above all, I have to warn Mystogan." He declared after a long silent moment. "When we'll be inside, I'll rush to the communication room and try to contact him. The palace kept its magical screens, even if they were useless. It can work if I use the magic from this place, even if la connection risks to be difficult. However, we have no choice."

"But they won't be here anytime soon, right?"

"I'd say it'd take them an hour at the most, if they are fast."

Levy pouted. That was long. Stay alive by themselves during an hour in Faust fortress, and without magical weapons to protect themselves, that meant suicide. But they'd do it for Edolas. Or else the war would happen.

"What about me? What should I do?" She asked logically, since she wasn't coming to do nothing.

The young man handed her the map he had drawn and she folded it before putting it in her undershirt not to lose it. Then she fit attentive again.

"I'd like you to go in the Anima room, to reverse it and send back the whole magic accumulated by Faust, then to destroy it. Do you feel capable?"

As she saw the seriousness on her friend's face, filled with absolute trust, the bluenette smiled. She could do it, of course she felt capable! Taking the machines to pieces, that was her hobby after all, and she hurried to remind him this fact. Without waiting, they stood and dusted themselves out in the common gesture. Putting his hat in place correctly on his head Gajeel left from the bushes and headed at the little house, despite the fear that tore his stomach. Suddenly Levy grabbed his arm, forcing him to turn around.

"Black Sheep..." She began, avoiding his gaze.

He sighed as he heard his nickname but didn't complain.

"Yes, Levy?"

Her hand refused to let go of the young man's, and she came closer, hugged him slowly and brushed his cheek with her lips. He tensed, blushed and shivered at this contact, more stunned than ever. And he had be stunned plenty of times.

"Don't die, please."

The journalist chuckled, embarrassed, then patted his friend's shoulders with a reassuring smile.

"You neither, Levy."

"Well, enough chitchat and violins, now it's fight time!" She replied more seriously with an annoyed look, as if to say it was the young man's fault.

He merely nodded then they headed at the guardroom, more determined than ever. Like they had planned, Levy would take care of the guards inside as fast as possible. Arrived in front of the door without being noticed, Gajeel knocked politely, the mechanic preparing her spanner, ready to strike. A scarping noise of chair, meaning there was only a single guard inside, could be heard before the door opened.

"Who's there?" The guard abruptly demanded.

The only answer he got was a spanner blow in the nose, followed by a edge of the hand in the neck. He was knocked out unconscious, his face bleeding. On a single word from Levy, Gajeel caught him and dragged him inside while the mechanic closed the door behind her. They were in, they didn't feel their bodies anymore and had the impression that their knees were about to buck at any moment, but it didn't matter. The young girl tied and gagged the guard with what she found and locked him in a closet. Once it was done, she thought about one thing and search in the secret place where she usually put her tool/weapon. She took a small metal ball, the same she had built in Earthland, and placed it in the journalist's hands.

"Take that, it's a bomb, you may need." She explained as she pointed at a small gray button that was the detonator.

Surprised, he stared at her for a long moment, wondering if she'd better keep it for herself. Until she also gave him a magical sword, replying that _he_ was the chick one here. Slightly worried with the fact that he hold two weapons, yet Gajeel didn't complain, and tried to open the trap door leading to the stairs, leading to the hidden building in the cliff. They quickly and silently walked, so that only their short breaths were ranging against the walls. At the end of the corridor, they merely half-opened the door, glancing a shy look through it to check if the way was clear. The fear to be catch gnawed at them, and their senses were on the alert due to the stress. It was none the worst in this kind of situation.

Stealthily, they rushed in the first corridor, trying to do as little noise as possible despite the marble floor. Fortunately Faust had ordered to build some statues of himself, they could hide behind them if a guard was on their way. Speaking of guards, they had almost got caught when, turning at the bend in the corridor, they had seen one of them at the other side. The journalist had hurried to take a step backward, had stomped on Levy's foot, she had yelped and insulted him, and they had been forced to run away at full speed. If the guard hadn't seen them because his back was on them, he had heard them. The two young people had hidden in a tiny room in a few meters. It was hard to both stand in there, checking by the keyhole that no one was here. Around twenty minutes later, they left their hiding place, sure that no guard wouldn't be here. Then the crucial moment came.

"We have to part." Gajeel stated placing his glasses on his nose. "You think you could find you way with the map?"

"Yeah, I think so. I turn right okay?"

"Yes, to the right, until you reach the junction and then turn on your left. I don't think you'll miss the room. And be careful."

"I could retort the same chose."

An annoyed grimace stretched the young girl's lips. She was a big girl, she could be fine on her own. With a common nod, they parted and the young man walked to the left while his friend took the opposite side. He had the chance not to cross someone's path, and after ten minutes running he arrived breathless in front of the transmission room. He made sure that he closed the door behind him to be more relax and especially not to arouse the suspicions.

The room was composed with a big screen, with a kind of keyboard to enter the coordinates. At least, he supposed so. Rubbing his hands, he took place on the only seat and used his knowledge. The magic was only gathered in this room. The lacrimas connected to the 'computer' with some big cables was enough to prove it. He had to send some magic along with the message, and ignored if it was possible. And he had to turn it on, this screen. He lost a few minutes to find the right button, and groaned once it was done, hearing the racket of end of the world provoked by the machine. He was going to be caught, it was clear. He waited that everything was okay, he tapped away on the keyboard, modifying the parameters to establish a connection; using his instinct to do the good thing. He entered the coordinates of the royal palace, and the reunion room he knew by heart. Then he prayed for everything to be okay. If he couldn't do it with the digital boards, he was in deep shit. The journalist screamed happily and victoriously when the image of Mystogan and Erza Knightwalker appeared on the screen. They both looked shocked, eyes wide open, staring at the board. It was almost comical.

"W-what the... Gajeel?" The new king stammered, as if he couldn't believe it was him. "How can you do this? The transmission boards are out of order!"

"My king, above all I have to apologize for not having warned you earlier. There was a... kind of unexpected incident. I won't explain you how or why, but I just came back from Earthland. Faust, your father, had created his fortress along with an Anima. That's how I can talk to you. And I have to warn you, he already had gathered his troops, among them is a large part of your own army, and had equipped them with new magic weapons. He wants to take the capital."

"We won't win against the magic." Erza protested as she could anticipate the defeat, she felt disgusted.

"Go warn the generals and Fairy Tail right now, we're coming as a back-up Gajeel." Mystogan ordered sternly. "About the soldiers, if we can't trust them, we'll let them here."

If they panicked, it would be over. Gajeel nodded gravely. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the lacrimas getting emptier at full speed, he didn't have a lot of time. The king already knew where they were, considering he had informed him before. He trusted him.

"Levy, from Fairy Tail, is with me." The journalist added. "She's currently trying to reverse the Anima then to destroy it. I hope it will be done before you arrive."

They settled a few points more or less important, then the young man was forced to end the communication. After a whole minute, he remained immobile, trying to regain his composure and to calm down. He preferred work in the shadows, the action wasn't made for him, all this mess scaring him. And unfortunately, he wasn't done with his duty.

"What a surprise, a ghost... How did you do to come back from Earthland, damn you?" A voice hissed in his back, Jose's voice.

He didn't even bother to turn around and threw himself aside. It was the right thing to do, otherwise the black sword that just cut the air, reaching the place he was seconds before, would have pierced him.

"What a nice surprise." Gajeel chuckled as he stood.

Usually he wasn't joking when the situation was critical but there, it had slipped. He tensed imperceptibly and faced that nasty character he'd never liked. He may never have used a weapon, but he didn't care. Earth-Gajil taught him how to fight, and only to honor him, he would defeat Jose. His sword materialized at his order, it was smaller than his opponent's but also lighter, and so faster. even if the purple aura around the arm of Faust's right-hand man didn't inspire confidence.

Without any warning, Jose rushed at him and Gajeel could only counter, already driven back against the wall. In fact, the chance seemed to be with him. He just had give a sharp blow to deflect the sword, and here it was already repelled far from him. Apparently, the blows he was giving with his weapon were stronger and more violent thanks to the magic, good. His opponent stepped back and he took the opportunity to advance and attack in turn. He won't be pushed around for once.

"Faust was too merciful when he let you live, but I, I won't give you that chance." Jose sneered, not looking away from Gajeel, and reciprocally.

The poor journalist was a mediocre opponent comparing to the former king's right-hand man, he knew it. His Earthland counterpart and Panther Lily may have taught him some fighting techniques, but he had never trained with a sword. Even if the Exceed, former division commander, was an excellent swordsman. He wasn't. However, he had to do his best with his own skills if he didn't want to die. Here, he was putting his life on the line, it was out of question to show no resistance in order not to hurt the others. Gallantry didn't exist. Beside, Levy was counting on him, he had no right to leave her alone here. So he stood proudly his sword in front of him and countered the blow that was coming. Today, he would fight, even if he never thought it would happen someday.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you Jose, but I didn't make all those efforts just to let myself get killed by a man as ridiculous as you!"

Their two swords were repelled and each of them stepped back as much as what little space the room offered allowed them to. Jose hadn't apparently liked the remark Gajeel just said, but the said man didn't care if he'd hurt his feelings, he said what he thought. As his opponent charged at him, groaning a large amount of insults that could have scared even Levy, the journalist kicked the chair, sending it in Jose's feet, sending him collapse loudly on the ground. The young man already regretted what he was going to do but he didn't have the choice. Determined to win, he brought his sword toward his enemy's neck, anxious to finish him as soon as possible. But he hadn't excepted the reflexes of the other man's who rolled on the side, letting the magical sword split the floor, before he stood and attacked in turn.

The journalist didn't have the time to see it coming, he had been too slow, as a consequence of a fight-less life. Jose's katana cut through the air without a single ounce of pity. First the pain stabbed in stomach, along with the cold sensation of the metal piecing his body. His painful scream was easily muffled by the suffering he was feeling that was taking his breath away. Faust's right-hand man pulled back his sword with a sadistic and victorious laughter and Gajeel fell on his knees, a hand pressed against his right side, where he was just hit.

"The fight hadn't lasted very long, did you honestly think you could have a chance against me?"

"But this is not over, did you really believe that?"

No, he refused to lose, and he still had his sword en main. With a sharp gesture and despite his wound, he forced himself to pull back on his feet, and sliced Jose's arm. Draw.

This gesture breeding some new insults that Gajeel ignored superbly. If he wasn't gallant anymore now, he still remained polite. But he was getting weak while Jose was getting annoyed and giving blows more and more violent. The journalist threw himself once again on the ground, dodging the katana aimed at his head. Countering the sword that nearly had sliced him, he kicked his opponent's knee, to make him step back and to regain the upper hand. With a growl, he leaned onto the machine he had used just before, while the other stood. At this moment an idea clicked. The transmission board was still containing a small amount of magic and by electricity. So it would react on contact with the iron and the magic of their weapons. The metal was a conductor, a single discharge would be enough to touch Jose and knock him out, or kill him even if he didn't really wanted to deep down. Jose threw himself on him, aiming at his chest with the clear intention to finish him. Gajeel took a quick step aside and grabbed his opponent's wrist.

"Sorry Jose, but you lost." He declared coldly, fighting his surprised look with a new confidence.

With a sharp and violent blow, he forced his opponent to planter his sword on the machine, then he threw himself on the ground. He heard a crackling, saw the light burst out then heard a scream drowned in the noise of an explosion. The journalist had the impression that the calm was gone forever. Covered by loads burned items and debris, he stood with difficulty, the pain in his stomach taking away the remains of his energy. Beside him, Jose was collapsed on the floor, scorched, not to mention the smoke escaping from his clothes. He won't move for a moment, that was obvious.

"Damn!" The young man swore as he pulled back on his feet, a hand placed on his stomach. "Why does it have to happen to me, I hadn't asked for it!"

He sighed and groaned. He had to find Levy and fast, before he loses consciousness in a corner. His sight was already cloudy and his forehead was becoming sweaty. Not to mention the explosion that certainly had alerted some guards. He left the completely destroyed room hastily, closed the door behind him and ran in the corridor toward the Anima room.

Since she had been separated from Gajeel, Levy hadn't stopped running. Glancing at the map he had drawn, she finally had reached the right place, after avoiding a few guards. She quickly forced the lock of this huge massive wooden door and opened it slowly. When it creaked horribly, a swearword escaped her mouth. Didn't they know the oil for hings? Letting the door slightly half-open, she turned around and sighed. This place was strangely familiar in her eyes, yes, it really was the room where the Anima had sent to Earthland. She remembered as if she never had left it. Just as she remembered Gajeel's betrayed look at this moment. She won't disappoint him. Grasping her spanner, she rushed at the center of the room and the strange machine that composed the Anima, taking great care not to look down. Once she was before it, she crossed her arms, a perplex pout forming on her face, and a question on the corner of her lips: _how__ can I turn this shit on?_ Looking for a big button which could correspond, and since she didn't find it, she headed for a kind of levier just beside her and pulled it. Fortunately for her it wasn't a trap and there was no trapdoor under her feet. Knowing Faust and his paranoia, it could have been the case. No, instead, she sighed with relief as she heard a humming and saw the lacrimas lit up one by one. 

_ Anima activated in one minute. Lacrimas loading to stock magic._

Again that same cold and mechanical voice. The young girl certainly didn't like it. But, wait a minute, what did it just say?

"Hey no! It's not what I want, you have to be reversed!" She screamed as she hit the control panel with her spanner.

A weird earsplitting sound rang out, had she hurt it? Yep, she was frequently speaking to the machines that didn't work like she wanted. She had the illusion they could hear her voice but didn't listen, it was a good excuse to insult and hit them. Except that here, even with a good spanner attack, it remained reticent. Groaning a wave of insults, she punched every buttons before her, hoping to obtain a result. She felt herself being attracted downward again and the noise grew louder and louder. She didn't know if she could reverse the Anima when it was in use, and apparently it wouldn't last. By chance, after the fifth blow, and after having hurt her hand, she finally get a convincing result.

_ Reverse Anima activated in thirty seconds._

"Well see, if you want you can, moron!"

She waited patiently then saw with satisfaction the magic left her weapon. Now she had to hurry, if she could see this phenomenon, the guards could see the magic escaping their weapons too and they'd know it was a problem connected to the Anima. They would rush here and Levy doubted she could beat them all. She hoped that Gajeel was alright too. After five minutes, the control panel indicated that the transfer had begun and that the magic was sent back to Earthland. With a beaming smile, she attacked the second part of the plan. Destroy the Anima. She kicked a metal sheet which bent and dropped in an horrible noise that made her grit her teeth. Kneeling on the ground, she bent to crawl in the hole and go under the control panel. Surrounded by electric cables, she enjoyed herself to cut some of them and to entangle some of them between themselves. She undid the welds, confused the adjustments, created an happy mess in the whole the installation with a sadistic laughter. Well yes, if she knew how to build machines, she also knew how to take them to pieces! Once her nice job was done, she left her hole and drummed her fingers on the machine once again. However, she hadn't expected what was coming next. She thought she had just disrupted the Anima only enough to engage its self-destruction program, but she had gone a bit too far in the end. The mechanic just had the time to say fuck when the still magic filled lacrimas exploded in her face, causing a huge tremor due to the shock wave. Sent flying over the edge, she screamed and managed as best as she could to catch hold of the platform's edge. There she was in deeeeep shit.

"Bitch! You want my death, don't you?" She yelled with rage, as if it would answer.

With a little luck, it would still destroy, some smoke was starting to escape from it. But if she couldn't get out of here and find Gajeel in time, it would be over. And for now, it wasn't the best situation.

"I don't want to go back to Earthland!" She protested and waved her feet in vain to go back up, even if it wasn't helping.

Her hand began to hurt by the way, she wouldn't last long like this, she was going to fall, that was sure! What would the journalist say when he'd come here, not seeing her anywhere? Frightened, she gritted her teeth and struggled, trying to go back up, even if she was too tired to succeed. Tears of rage and helplessness streamed down her cheeks, partly restrained by her now tight shut eyelids. The magic was still transferring to Earthland, so if she let go now, she would be absorbed too. And if Gajeel wasn't with her, she didn't want to go back. She felt her hand give up and screamed an insult. She would find herself alone again, in this cruel, hostile world, without anyone to help her and support her. Despite Fairy Tail. Even if those mages were the same there, they didn't make her feel at safe, unlike Gajeel. Suddenly, she felt a hand gripping firmly her wrist and the fall stopped abruptly.

"Hold on, Levy! Don't give up! You promised me to stay alive!"

Her eyes widened and she looked up, gripping back in an instinctive motion Gajeel's arm which had caught her. What was he doing here? Had he managed to call Mystogan? A beaming smile grew on her lips and her tear filled with joy, even if they were quickly dried by the magical wind whirling around the room. He was there, he really was.

"I was the one who made you promise this, wasn't I?"

"True. But it was also directed to you."

Holding her tighter, the journalist tried as best as he could to bring her back up by leaning on the floor, but he had to acknowledge he couldn't do it. It wasn't because the young girl was heavy, far from it, he was the one whose strengths were gone. And Levy noticed it as she saw his red strained jacket. Her eyes widened in horror when she understood.

"B-but, you're hurt? What the hell did you do?" She screamed, brusquely panicked.

"Oh this? It is not big deal, just the proof I've beaten Jose." The young man chuckled with a funny grimace.

"Not big deal? Don't lie to me!"

"I'll be okay, don't worry."

Slowly but surely, he was succeeding. As soon as she could, she grabbed the edge again. With this wind vent, rolled around in all directions, it was incredibly difficult. Groaning under the effort, she even managed to lean over the platform when a gust of wind more violent than the others came and made the task harder. The Anima was completely messing around, it didn't do that the last time. Levy was praying for it to calm quickly and to die silently. She turned toward Gajeel who was still holding her as best as he could, and she opened her mouth to tell him to watch his hat, but her attempt to tell him came a second too late.

Suddenly they saw his hat flying in the wind and the journalist choked an horrified shout. His eyes as wide as ping-pong balls, he watched it disappear, sucked by the Anima. Strangely, an heavy silence fell on them at this moment, it was like they had just witnessed someone's death. considering the young man's expression, it was nearly the case.

"Fucking shit..." He growled suddenly.

A sad light flashed in his eyes, and even his grip on Levy's wrist loosened slightly. She turned toward him, surprised of having heard him swear, he who used to be so polite. It was normal in a way, he just lost his precious hat and would probably never get it back.

"Don't you dare jump to take it back." Levy whispered in a weak attempt to make a joke, especially since the wish to do so was shining in the young man's eyes.

He didn't even answered and bit his lip, his eyes locked on the place where his beloved hat had disappeared, but did nothing to try to bring it back. She finally managed to put one of her feet on the platform and sighed with brief relief. Because they were done with their duty. Fate was dead set against them today. But they didn't anything wrong to deserve it, they just wanted to save their world from the war.

"You were the cause of so many damages." An old man declared suddenly behind them. "But this time, it's over."

Towering over them with all his height, Faust didn't seem very happy. Truly not. Gajeel, who was already white because he had lost too much blood, became livid and the mechanic gritted her teeth. They were damned.

"Considering what that pest did to my Anima, I don't think I'll have the time to fix it."

"The pest fucks you, old fool!" The mechanic spat back and sent him a deadly glare.

By the way, she wasn't the only one to react like this, Gajeel was also giving the man a disapproving glance, still bent over Levy hoping to help her. He didn't say anything, he knew that if he let go of Levy to protect himself, she would possibly fall, but he was unlikely to win a fight by himself. Yet, in both cases, death was waiting for them. And the situation was truly making the former king smirk.

"You were lucky until now, but I regret to tell you that for you, this is the end of the trip."

Without any pity and no remorse, Faust kicked Gajeel's stomach, right on his wound, and this time he was the one who was sent overboard in turn. Levy, who was now almost completely on the platform, gripped his arm with all her strengths, but this so sudden weight that dragged her down nearly made her drop her friend and to crown it all, she found herself in the same position than before.

"You will fall before the Anima finishes to run down, and in the worst case, it will exploded and you won't survive. Now I have to leave, it seemed you had the time to warn the capital about what I planned here. But you have to know that your insignificant beings won't be enough to stop me."

The former king burst out a cruel laughter then he went away slowly and closed the door on them, locking them in this damn room. Either their chance just abandoned them, or it was just gone. Especially that now, Gajeel was in a critical state, and if the mechanic wasn't holding his arm, he would certainly fall.

"Hey Black Sheep! Hang in there!" She screamed as she shook him slightly, hoping it would be enough for him to come round.

He didn't look alright, she wasn't sure he was conscious. And he was bleeding profusely, how much blood had he lost? If they'd come through this, he'd need some emergency care. She wouldn't hesitate to shake Mystogan in front of his troops for that, if she had to. He seemed to regain consciousness, the young man managed as much as possible to cling on to Levy, paler and weaker than ever.

"I'm okay..." He stammered, blinking, even if the young girl didn't ask son state of health.

"I'm fucking glad!" She replied angrily, purposely to hide his anxiety. "You're starting to become heavy!"

"Can you bring us back up?" The young man asked guiltily, as if it was suddenly his fault.

"Truly, I don't think so." Levy sneered. "So unless some Exceed wings grows in our back, we're in deep shit!"

With a long moan, she tried as best as she could to reinforce her grip, but it was useless. This time, they really were the unlucky ones.

In Gajeel's mind, an idea clicked. The Anima wouldn't explode quickly enough, and the transfer wasn't over yet. The fact that Levy had attempted to destroy it as he'd sent the magic back to Earthland must certainly slow the process. And yet, in their current position, they couldn't hang on until it self-destroyed, and even if they could, the explosion would swallow them. But maybe that if he could make the Anima fall before it explodes, just below them, they would have a chance to stay alive.

The journalist bit his lip as he imagined the scenario. No, Levy would have a chance to stay alive, not him. Because if he kept dragging her down like that, like a dead weight, at the moment the platform would shake she would fall too. With his valid hand, he took the little bomb she had given him before they began the infiltration, testing its weight to see if he'd be able to send it hitting the base of the machine to make it explode. In any case, he wouldn't be able to survive. On the other hand, he didn't really have the choice, did he? A huge sensation of sadness tore his heart and he bowed his head, watching the magic that escaped their world for the second time, then he looked at Levy. He had so many things he wanted to say, but even now he wouldn't dare... he'd better keep his feelings unknown, since the mechanic never really showed any for him. Perhaps it would be different if the fact he was in love wasn't one-sided, but he wasn't even sure. And even if she felt the same, he had very little chances to stay alive. Just his wound was enough to prove it. So if he was able, at last, to do a good deed and to save a friend, he was happy. The young man's hold loosened a bit around Levy's wrist, she felt it and looked down at him, frightened, to be met by a strange calm smile.

"Gajeel? What are you..." She began in a voice full of silent questions.

She saw what he was holding in his hand and her eyes widened even more. What was he trying to do exactly? Her heart skipped a beat, then another, and suddenly it pounded frantically with fear. Her stomach tightened so much it was hurting when she realized that the journalist _wanted_ to let go. But _she_ didn't want!

"Don't let go, moron! Did you forget what you've promised me?" She screamed and tightened her grip.

But if he wasn't trying anymore, it was useless, and she knew it. She just didn't understand why he was doing this. She didn't even want to know, she only wanted to stay alive and to be with him. He had promised her after all!

"I'm sorry Levy. I guess I love my hat too much to just stay away from it." He joked, despite his sad smile.

Before she could object anything, thanks to her shock, he activated the bomb she had made, threw it in the Anima, reaching miraculously the target, then he let go. The sudden lack of weight combined with the effort she was making to go back up allowed her to pull back on her feet. But without Gajeel. Her arm remaining reached toward him, she screamed his name, as fresh tears ran freely on her cheeks, as if it was a part of herself falling and disappearing. And it was extremely painful. The bomb exploded at this moment, destroying a good part of the platform and making the Anima fall, as the journalist had predicted. The mechanic's tearful eyes locked with the young man's. He simply smiled and inclined an imaginary hat on his head. Then this time, it was the Anima itself and the lacrimas that exploded, pouring their remaining magic. A white light blinded them both, Levy felt herself be sent flying up under the breath of the explosion, thinking the noise would make her become deaf. She lost consciousness without understanding why or how, but the scene she just lived was still engraved before er eyes. For once, the last thing she uttered before sinking into the darkness wasn't an insult but her friend's name, her friend who was gone.

**X_x**

*** Yankee-chan runs away ***

**me: Don't kill me! The author is running right there!**

**YC: Traitor!**


	11. New aurora

**...**

**Hem, well... long time no see (I guess I should begin like this). It's been what? Two months? Three? I can't even remember myself. My job is partly killing me, my computer was dead for a while (but I could resurect it), I had other stories to comment, blablabla... So yeah, I'm veeeeeeery late!**

**I'll try to remake my pace (quicker if possible ^^') for the next chapter (which will be the last one).**

**Please enjoy (or at least please read it, for the author Yankee-chan ^^).**

**I only own the translation and the mistakes (unfortunately). Fairy Tail a its character belong to Hiro Mashima.**

**X_x**

A faint voice she didn't know seemed to call her. But it was only a weak echo that rang and faded in her empty head. Her limbs were numb and she had the impression to be submerged by the water, because the vision she had of the exterior world was blurry. Her whole body was hurting, as if she had been beaten. Her eyelids refused to move and something seemed to block her breath, as if her chest was compressed despite the fact that nothing was weighting on her. And yet, this voice which kept murmur her name seemed to attract her higher,to pull her out of water, to bring her back to reality.

Opening weakly her eyes, the young girl saw a man with blue hair, like hers. He also had a weird tattoo around his eye. Gerald, even if everyone called him Mystogan here, Faust's son (although he didn't look like him at all) and prince of Edolas, by the way.

"Levy, are you okay?" He asked worriedly.

"Y-yeah." The mechanic stammered weakly.

Now that she was awake and almost came round, indeed she was better. Groaning, she stood with difficulty. She was laying in the grass, in the shadow of a tree and someone had healed her considering the multiple bandages hiding her wounds. Looking at her right, she saw Erza Knightwalker waving wildly her arms, roaring at the terrorized guards she had tied. So those poor men were on Faust's side. And behind them, where had stood before the king's palace, there was nothing left but a piece of rocks. A part of the edge of the island had exploded, leaving nothing but a half-moon shaped crater. When the Anima had exploded, the magic had burst upward, destroying everything on its way. It was certainly the reason a good part of the stone which composed the islands of Edolas hadn't fall toward Earthland, but it had been propelled, or rather swept, toward the ground of Edolas.

Seeing this disaster, this piece of scattered rocks, Levy lost her voice, feeling her heart hurt atrociously. An absurd permanent pain which choked her. What happened with Gajeel came back in her memory. His words, the plan he had in his head, his gaze, his last gesture. Then she had lost consciousness. An explosion of questions burst in her mind with such a violence that she nearly released them all with her tears.

"How long since Gajeel warned you? Since when are you here? And me, how long I've been out of it? Where's Gajeel?"

She screamed so loudly that Mystogan jumped and Erza and the others turned around toward her. Chased by the adrenaline, the pain disappeared and the young girl jumped on her feet with renew energy, fed with anxiety, pounding in her heart.

"It's been about an hour that Gajeel warned us, and it's been fifteen minutes that we're here. We saw the explosion and we helped you out of the rubbles. As for Gajeel, I don't know, the soldiers are still clearing the ground, but we still didn't find him."

Ignoring her king, she rushed at the ruins hoping to find him. She hoped so much he wasn't back to Earthland! Even her Fairy Tail seemed derisory now. How was she supposed to live without anyone the comfort her or listen to her? When Lucy had hurt her pride, she had confessed to him, and if he wasn't here anymore, who had she?

"Gajeel! Answer me, please!"

Trying to remove the rocks here and there, she was crying. The guards who cleaned the rubbles told her to be careful, if she wasn't everything could crumble. But she didn't care, as long as she could find the journalist. And alive.

And yet, no matter how hard she was searching, there was no trace of the young man. The mechanic stopped in her tracks, breathless, and her throat so tight it hurt. She wanted to find him so much! She ran around the huge ruined area once again, looking for a missing detail. No matter what, as long as she found something. Scrutinizing every inch meticulously, she decided to take her time despite the panic. Just when she thought she would find nothing, something caught the young girl's attention. A dark red color, streaming over a rock. Her heart nearly stopped and she tensed when an horrible shiver ran through her spine, freezing her limbs. Blood, yes, it was blood. Brought back to the reality by this observation, Levy threw herself on the stones, her strengths coming back tenfold in despair. Suddenly, she was scared, scared by what she would find. Gajeel's body, broken and lifeless. Chasing this horrible image from her mind, she pressed her whole weight against the rock before her and it rolled on the ground and stopped with a deafening sound along with a faint cloud of dust.

Once she saw this unmoving hand, she grabbed it and squeezed it. No doubt, it was the journalist's. Panicked-stricken, she pulled, hoping to free him this natural trap, but not to avail. Shaking and swearing, she pushed more rocks, freeing his forearm, but nothing more.

"Gajeel, answer me! Please say that you hear me!" She cried hoarsely.

She knelt, and pushed her whole arm in a small dark crack, even if she couldn't see anything, and search blindly until her hand touched the young man's cheek. Apparently he hadn't had the chance to benefit from a little air bubble, no, every rocks had directly crushing him. The only positive point was it had certainly stopped the haemorrhage.

"Mystogan!" She screamed in a voice high with hysteria. "He's here!"

The king turned around and ran, followed by a few guards and he ordered them to help him out of there. At least, the journalist was still alive, even if he was weak and unconscious.

"I'm going to warn some people to take him right in the hospital once he'll be out of here." The king declared calmly.

He mustn't panic, he had to keep his composure. Otherwise he was going to make some mistakes. Asking the mechanic to talk to try to wake the young man, he walked back down and joined Erza, before taking a weird machine, looking like an transmitter. Levy had never seen this kind of object but she didn't care for now despite her passion. She refused to leave Gajeel and new fresh tears were streaming down her cheeks. She didn't want to lose him, god dammit!

"Gajeel... Hang in there!" She sobbed.

She was squeezing his hand, hoping the pain from her grasp would wake him, but not to avail. He wasn't moving, wasn't answering. She could barely hear his breath. The weight of the stones on top of him was crushing him, they had to react fast.

"Would you move your fucking sorry asses if you don't want me to kick you to death!" She roared suddenly.

Frightened by this threat that seemed too real, the guards began to hurry. Levy could have say it in another way, but she was too scared not to scream. She was trying to help them, doing her best to get Gajeel out. Only ten minutes later they finally reached the last rocks that crushed him. Instantly, unceremoniously, an horrified Levy extirpated him from the remnants and laid him on the grass. Covered in blood, he was as pale as death. He was risking to belong to it very soon by the way. Mystogan rushed at them and the mechanic looked up at him with a desperate tearful face. They had to stop the haemorrhage or it'd be too late. Except they had nothing to do it, and the closest hospital was at Louen, it was too far.

Holding back her tremors as best as she could, the young girl pressed Gajeel's bloody side, hoping to save as much precious liquid life as she could. Because in fact, his life was fading with him. With a choked sob, she removed his broken glasses to prevent him for hurting. But why, god dammit, why had he done something so stupid? She hated him for having chosen this solution, he shouldn't have sacrificed himself for a girl like her. She was crying so much and for so long that her voice was breaking more and more with each sob. She had the terrible sensation someone had stabbed her heart with a dagger, and the resulting pain was unbearable. And worst of all it was increasing when Levy felt her friend's life fading. She didn't hear Mystogan who kept saying the journalist was going to be alright anymore. The mechanic couldn't say how long she stayed into this painful trance but she was awoken by a whir she recognized quickly, followed by a screech. Looking up, she rubbed her eyes briefly, before they widened in surprise.

"Dragion? Blondie? What the hell are you doing here?" She asked, dumbstruck.

"Mystogan called me saying it was an emergency on the transmitter I installed on my car, so I came." Natsu explained.

He clearly looked intimidated by Lucy and despite the fact he was on his car, he was compressed in his seat, cramped to the steering wheel.

"I, I was with him so I came too." The blond stated disdainfully. "Your boyfriend looks like crap..."

Suddenly angry, Levy narrowed her eyes and growled. But then she smiled like a demon as she saw the hair looking particularly in a real mess, the red cheeks and the shining eyes of the two Fairy Tail members. Some interesting things must have happened in this car... And she was going to use it against her...

"Shut the fuck up Ashley, considering your ugly face and your pansy boyfriend's, I'd stop this arrogant speech and I'd help to bring Gajeel to the hospital."

Lucy glared at her but didn't utter a word, especially not before Mystogan. Giving a kick to Natsu, she sent him flying away from his car, breaking the car door in the process.

"Help them." She ordered in a cold voice as she folded her arms.

Frightened by the outside world and by the blond, Fireball shakily obeyed. He opened the car door while Mystogan and Levy were placing the journalist on the back seat, where the mechanic joined him.

"Drive up to Louen, he need emergency care. Levy, keep pressing on his wound, he mustn't lose more blood than he already have." The king told them.

The young girl nodded and Dragion sat in his car with a faint relieved sigh. He was praying that everything would be alright between the two girls.

"We'll be there in twenty minutes!" He predicted in a tone that wanted to bring some joy. "Go-Fire!"

Crushing violently the accelerator, the ruins of Faust's palace diminished then disappeared quickly behind them.

"Where were you those last days?" Lucy asked, still sulky.

After her fit of anger, Levy was strangely calm. Of course, she was still filled with anxiety for Gajeel, but she didn't cry anymore and was able to control her emotions.

"Faust sent us to Earthland." The bluenette said coldly. "The Fairy Tail from there helped us to go back, so we just came back. Concerning the rest, just wait, this isn't the good time."

She didn't give a hoot if they didn't believe her. She just wanted Gajeel to be saved. Levy was forcing herself to watch through the window not to stare at his white face, seeming sleepy and quiet, but she knew it was otherwise, although she refuse to admit it. And finally, they arrived at Louen. The trees, the grass and the jolts of the road were soon replaced by houses, people screams and pavements. Ignoring the crowd and the insults Ashley was roaring in his ear, Dragion burst onto the parc of the hospital. In a sharp movement of steering wheel, he dodged the stony white fountain and stopped just in front of the gravel of the entrance. This time, Lucy sent him run to the reception while she was helping her blue haired rival to carry the journalist.

"How is he?" She asked quickly as she wrapped the young man's arm behind her shoulders, as Levy did the same.

"I don't know." She said weakly as she felt her stomach tighten once again. "Bad I guess."

The blond didn't add anything else and pouted her lips. Then both girls lead up the stairs and brought Gajeel inside the hospital. Of course, they had to catch the attention of the patients. Natsu jumped and turned toward them to help supporting the wounded man. The woman at the reception dropped her phone to order some nurses to take care of him, then took it back to indicate everything they'd need to heal the journalist. Levy entrust him to them reluctantly when they laid him on a stretcher and rushed him to the operating block. The anxiety gnawed her again, especially now that she could do nothing but wait. Exhausted, she felt her legs were about to buck under her and sat on a seat, completely oblivious to the hubbub drowning the room.

"Are you planning to remain like this?" Lucy asked.

The mechanic understood the question as she notice she was covered in blood. Her clothes, her arms, certainly her face too. But she didn't bother to answer.

"We're going to go Lucy and I... I can drive you where you want if you wish." Natsu suggested as he played nervously with his fingers.

Levy sighed, she didn't especially want to leave. She didn't know how long the doctors needed to take care of her friend and she wanted to be here when they'd finish. However, she wasn't really presentable. Under the shocked eyes of her two guild nakama and of every singe person in the room, she left from the hospital with rage. The glasses that adorned the front door vibrated when she pushed it with violence. They had dodged a fountain when they arrived here, right? Climbing down the stony stairs, she sent some pebbles flying up to the grass of the parc around the building. Then she jumped in the water to wash herself and remove the dirt that stained her. There, all done. When she came back at the reception, soaked to the bone and dripping, her glare was defying anyone to say something. The brave guy who'd try would earn a fatal spanner blow.

"Am I clean enough for you, Ashley?" She asked in an insolent politeness.

Natsu cowered and the blond looked up and down at her for a long time without saying a words, before she caught Dragion by the collar of his coat to drag him outside in turn. They left, she stayed. Patiently, she waited, staring at the setting sun in silence as the darkness fell on the town. Trying to control her anxiety and busy herself as hours went by, she was arranging her clothes and her hair as best as she could. Her hair had curled because of the water, so she made a ponytail with her headband. At midnight, she found herself alone, and still without any news about Gajeel. Were they too scared to tell her the sad truth? Tired of waiting, she laid on a bench of the room, in a corner. Despite everything that happened, she wasn't really tired, she wanted to close her eyes only due to boredom and perpetual waiting. Finally, the sound of a open door brought her back to reality and she straightened slightly, her body tensed. Her eyes locked on a nurse and she stood abruptly, her heart storming in her chest. She didn't know what she'd do if it was bad news...

"So?" She asked, feeling her throat tightening once again, preventing her to add anything.

"We had transfused and healed him." The nurse replied calmly. "His condition is stable but remains critical, he'll need a large amount of time and rest before he could leave, but I think he'll succeed."

Levy had to hold back as best as she could to jump in the nurse's arms. Tears escaped once again, but now, they spoke of joy and relief, more than sadness and fear. Her gaze must betray her doubt: Was it really possible despite all that happened to them?

"Can I see him?" She asked again, nearly begging.

In the worst case, if she said no, some spanner blow would do it and she'd still go to him.

"Of course." The woman smiled compassionately.

Okay, the spanner would be useless today, too bad. Levy listened the indications to find the young man's room and she thanked the woman before her once again before she ran along the corridor of the hospital. She wouldn't leave Gajeel's side, not until he would wake. And when he would, he might have a hard time for all the worries she'd have gone through about him.


	12. opposites?

**FINALLY! *victory cry*  
>Seriously I thought I would never finish it! Between the job I've lost, the death of one of my family member, the end of the summer AND the freaking dramatic scan with Levy, I must admit I've lost the want to finish it.<br>BUT I DID IT! AHAH! The enemy is dead! *w*Y  
>I hope you'll enjoy this last chapter.<strong>

**I only own the poor translation, the mistakes and... well nothing else I guess. The story still belongs to Yankee-chan and Fairy Tail STILL belongs to Hiro Mashima (alias trollface for now ^^)**

**X_x**

She had barely walked in the room where Gajeel was resting after he nearly died, Levy took a chair and slumped onto it, next to the bed. It was late, and even if she hadn't suffered from tiredness before, now she couldn't take it anymore. With a look both tender and worry, she stared at the journalist. He seemed as white as the spotless blanket that covered him. The young girl couldn't help but chuckled as she noticed his right leg had been decorated with a nice plaster. But otherwise, there was nothing to laugh about. The poor man found himself without his glasses, and of course without hat. She hoped he wouldn't be too depressed when he'd wake up, and she'd personally make sure he wouldn't. After some long minutes in a deafening silence, only shattered by the monitors and others machines, Levy sighed. Exhausted, she laid her head on the bed and fell asleep, thanking in silence the Gods for saving the man she loved. But for now, it was a secret...

For two following days, a large amount of persons poured in the journalist's room, who however kept snoring, never awaking. What a lazy man. Jason, Mystogan, Dragion, Ashley, Mirajane, Jet and Droy, and everyone else came visiting him and Levy. They also came to hear her story about Earthland, even if every time she told them, the signs proving it annoyed her were more and more visible. Result, after all these the visit, there was a good amount of gifts in the room, all of them destined to Gajeel.

By the way, thank to the king, a huge article about her and the young man had been written in the local newspaper. She was going to become famous and then she could taunt the blondie! Even if she didn't like being successful. She preferred remain incognito. People were going to harass her in the streets now, and she certainly wouldn't sign any autographs! Well, it was still useful: some free publicity for her garage couldn't be so bad. When she'd find the time, she'd search the announces in the newspaper and the prices to buy a studio. 

_The next morning:_

Mystogan rushed in the hospital to tell Levy he had entrusted Gajeel's motorcycle to the receptionist de the hospital. The guards on Faust's side had preserved it and he found it amongst the ruins. After he had fixed two or three little things, he had brought it here, so they could go back in the town quickly. And considering the journalist's broken leg, Levy would be the one to drive it, and he wouldn't be able to protest. She was dancing with impatience.

Then the king was gone, leaving the two alone. Time began to grow long, but the doctors said it wouldn't take long for Gajeel to awake. About time! She was bored to death! And the promise she made to herself appeared perfectly idiotic now. She had decreed it without thinking, crazy with anxiety, but she hadn't thought she'd have to wait for so long. A promise was a promise, she couldn't take back her word, it wasn't son genre. After a few hours staring at him, she had an idea and she left the room. She was going to make his plaster a cool one, as a gift. As she crossed the corridors, her legs were hopping in delight. The mechanic walked innocently toward the reception, then toward the spot for the children. It was a peaceful corner where a few kids played inside a wooden park disguise as a field. But the magical space was destroyed when the mechanic exploded the contours of the park with a kick and walked toward a small table where were resting some crayons and felt-tip.

"I borrow this, you bunch of brats." She said through the sea of their surprised and terrified screams.

Then, still surrounded by fake innocence, she turned around and headed at in the young man's bedroom with a smirk. Now, she had something to get busy for the rest of the afternoon.

The next morning on the other hand, she had to admit that her patience was running thin, she absolutely needed to let off stream. And so, what was better than follow the nurses? She had to get a change of air, and for this, she convinced some inexperienced trainees to let her do some blood tests. A lot of patients suffered, and the rumours about her skills were faster than her. She barely had the chance to come inside the rooms before the patients fainted, frightened after they heard about "the sexy torturer nurse". Even men didn't want to see her. And most of the time, when they had the balls to tell her, they earned a slap from the mechanic, outraged at those boors. At last, the direction hurried to neutralize her, and the young girl had been "courteously" brought back to Gajeel's room, at the risk of being thrown outside the hospital if she didn't comply.

She did it unwillingly, since boredom was one of the things she hated the most. If only she had the right to have a drink, but of course alcohol was forbidden in the hospital. You had to be a good model for the patients and not to drink. Forced to wait, she sat on her favorite chair, staring at the ceiling and insulting mentally the noises from the machines. Until a weird groan pierced through them. At first, Levy thought she'd dreamed. She had so hoped to hear that kind of noise during those passing days she thought her brain had just created it. But when she focused on Gajeel, she understood that indeed, she hadn't dreamed.

"Well... you're finally awake, square?" She asked slyly.

With a sigh, Gajeel opened his eyes as he heard this voice he knew too well. The first thing he saw was a white ceiling, and when he turned his head on the side, seeing the different monitors, he understood he was in the hospital. His head was spinning and his body seemed so heavy, as if he had slept for too long, and it was the case. Moving once again his head on the other side, he noticed Levy and smiled shyly at her. He knew what he had done, he remembered perfectly.

"How do you feel?" She asked softly as she grabbed his hand.

If he was surprised to see her soft side, he didn't show it and squeezed the young girl's hand back.

"Still tired." He answered weakly.

"Are you kidding me?! You've been sleeping for days, you lazy ass!"

"Obviously I needed it, but now, I'm fine."

As she heard those words, the mechanic stood suddenly, with a strange and rather disturbing smile along with a glare. Although he said this to reassure her, it wasn't the reaction he expected. The journalist had the good idea to shrink into his bed and to make himself smaller, even if he ignored why he was forced to act like this. Levy was annoyed, but he didn't know why. Was it because what it happened some days ago? When she took a deep breath, Gajeel knew far before she uttered the tiniest sound that she was going to scream.

"WELL REALLY! YOU BETTER BE FINE WITH ALL THE TIME YOU MAKE ME WASTE IN THIS FUCKING PLACE!"

Within reach of her wrath, Gajeel covered his ears and sank in his bed. The mechanic's face was red with anger and she was roaring in a voice he couldn't recognized anymore. Not to mention that his I'm-hidding-in-the-matress technique didn't really work, because she grabbed him by his collar and shook him like a rag doll. The monitors became crazy for a few seconds, but the young girl's screams covered them, as if they were off.

"Seriously, why did you let me go you fucking little moron! You just couldn't help yourself to play stupid heroes?! But, you filthy selfish bastard, did you only think about me when you did that crap? All this for a fucking hat, it was more precious than me, right?!"

Levy had screamed so loudly that she suddenly had to stop to cough, and released the journalist as if she was dealing with an old dirty linen. The said man fell back on the bed, unmoving, paralysed, his eyes glued to the mechanic's cheeks, wet with tears. After a last insult, she looked away furiously and headed at the door, opened it to reveal a doctor and a nurse who were about to do the same, alerted by her screams.

"Take care of this piece of shit, I'm out of here." She snapped as she threw them inside.

She stormed out hastily and left it to the doctors, not glancing behind. She paced around the park five times to cool down, insulting the journalist. It had to come out, she'd pretended to be indifferent these last days because she had held back her bad mood and her stress about him, to make him understand how she had felt, how she was feeling right now. And she hoped it had worked. Maybe she shouldn't have yelled at him considering his condition, even if the doctors told her he was in a fit state to go back home as long as he wasn't moving too much so his wounds mustn't reopened. Not to forget she had spoken facts she never would have admitted usually. She had clearly shown she was worried about him, and that he was important for her. Well, now he was awake, they would leave as soon as possible. She granted him a few more hours to rest and that was all.

Sighing, she ended her walk after a good hour and a half and went once again inside the building, back to the journalist. Levy smashed the door open with a kick only to see Gajeel shrink when he saw her, afraid she'd begin to shake him again. She reassured him sulkily and slumped once again onto a chair, retreating into a deep silence that lasted for minutes while she saw the young man glancing briefly at her from time to time, not daring to start a semblance of conversation. Finally, with a pout, the mechanic grabbed a bag beside his bed, hers apparently, and searched inside. A sadistic creepy smile appeared on the young girl's face when she revealed a thin rectangular box.

"Since you broke your glasses, I made the effort to buy a new ones, you owe me some money."

Opening the box, she picked the said glasses and stuck them on the journalist's nose. Since she had kept his former broken pair, she'd taken the same size, so there was no problem. Except maybe the color...

"And since you're a sissy, you've got pink ones, it fit perfectly your fucking character." She added, folding her arms. "Don't you dare refuse them."

When he saw the glasses, Gajeel couldn't help but laugh. He'll certainly get used to them. And he didn't have the courage or the desire to refuse them. It was a gift from Levy after all, the first he ever got from her. He blushed as he realized.

"Thank you very much Levy, I'm very pleased, I'll keep them preciously."

His oh so happy smile had to be contagious, because the young girl's lips stretched upward too and smiled back. Embarrassed, she averted her eyes and focused on his plaster she decorated a little while ago.

"However, I doubt it'd fit your foot." She chuckled.

He had to admit, pink glasses weren't ideal to match the huge green dinosaur spread on the plaster, along with several vulgar signs and a message saying "if you touch me, I'll stick this plaster in your ass". Typical of Levy indeed. Did she want him to provoke people without uttering a word? He was going to be punch by everyone!

"Hey, you go too far Levy!" The young man exclaimed.

The bluenette stuck out her tongue and this time the walls shook because of a crazy laughter. They took the chance they had not to be apart. Levy took the journalist's hand as he massaged his belly, and all trace of anger dissipated now. When they became serious again, the silence and the calm started to reigned progressively, as if a veil covered them. The mechanic took the opportunity to tell him about the recent events, while he was sleeping. She talked about Mystogan, about what he did to help them, about all the persons who had come to see him, before she indicated the presents in a faint shake of the head. Gajeel had already noticed, but he seemed surprised to realize that so many people cared about him. It didn't seemed to be the case until now. Maybe that people were caring about him after all. It was both embarrassing and touching. For a while, when he had let go of Levy's hand to save her, he told himself that not many persons would miss him. He realized that giving up on everything was incredibly cowardly.

"I am so sorry, Levy." He spoke shamefully staring at the floor.

The bluenette observed him, raising her eyebrows, surprise. She understood what he was apologizing for, and she wasn't going to ask him to justify himself. He had realized his mistake, that was all she wished. Beside, she already knew what he was going to say, basically. It was better not to embarrass themselves with such situations. Instead, she sighed deeply before smiling again.

"You've startled me you know, you little moron." She said trying t sound grumpy, even if she wasn't. "And I'll accept your apologizes when we'll be out of this damn hospital, I'm starting to feel bad."

"The doctors said I could go, as long as I move as less as possible, but with my plaster, it might be restricting, not to mention the expenses and the payment of the treatment."

"We clubbed together at Fairy Tail and we paid everything. So you see actually, I'm not the only one you owe money. How sad, you never play to a casino and you're already indebted. And yes, now we leave, because I decided so, and anyway I'm the one who drive the motorcycle."

Gajeel opened his mouth to protest but after reflection he gave up. His friend still had her spanner. And even if the motorcycle argument wasn't a model of security, he had to admit his defeat before her heavy glare and her tyrannical face that told him clearly she would force him. Sighing faintly, he gave up and asked her politely if she could go bring a doctor to sign a permission to leave. Levy grumbled, saying they could leave without it, but it wasn't working this way. So she dragged herself to the reception very unwillingly, and called a doctor she brought back in the room by the collar.

Once the papers were signed, she sent back the white dressed man at his occupations and hurried to help Gajeel to stand. However, as she heard his painful groans, she slowed down her pace, she didn't want his wound to open and his journey in this damn hospital to be any longer. Gingerly, the young girl wrapped an arm around the journalist's waist and helped him to hop to the reception. And the task wasn't easy, considering she was smaller than him, even with her wedge heel. What a mess! Finally, after an exhausting walk, as if they had taken part in a marathon, they finally left and Levy sat Gajeel on the stairs while she rushed at the reception to take the keys of his motorcycle waiting in the reserve.

When he saw her bursting in and braking roughly, the poor man wondered if he rather should hopping up to the cafeteria to get some tomato sauce and act as a injured man. Well, with his plaster, it was mission impossible. But Levy was driving too fast for his liking. Especially since, for now, they were still _only_ in the park! With an angelic smile that told she was going to act like an absolute devil, the bluenette helped him to stand and sat him behind her.

"Roles are reversed now, not like the last time." She chuckled and sat in turn.

Of course, she was talking about the time he took her for a drive. Smiling shyly and insecurely, Gajeel wrapped his arms around Levy's waist, begging her to drive slowly. And despite his precautions, he still earned a nice remark from the young girl, telling him not to touch her anywhere else.

"Try not to drive too fast, I don't want you to cause any accident." He prayed her, even if he knew she wouldn't listen.

The starting was difficult. As if they were two persons on a bicycle. Actually it was a problem of balance, and the motorcycle was too heavy for the poor mechanic who, even with one foot on the ground, had some difficulties to make it work. Gajeel took over as best as he could despite his plaster until the engine finally answered, then Levy took back the initiative. He had hoped he could drive: epic fail. At first he was rather tense, but at last he relaxed and placed his chin on Levy's shoulder. She didn't say anything, for once, too focused and happy with his wonderful motorcycle. The journey lasted more than an hour and a half, Louen was the farthest town from the capital. But finally they reached their goal, Gajeel's house. Once again, Levy helped him to go inside, before letting him sit on the couch.

"Considering your condition, if you ever need something, ask me. But if you don't want to bother me by gallantry, it's fine by me too." She declared, hands on her hips with a smirk.

"Very well, but I think I could manage on my own." Gajeel answered as he patted shoulder before he briefly hugged her.

Like every time it wasn't a contact she wished herself, she tensed and restrained herself to push him away. Even if, surprisingly, every time it became less and less hard. To tell the truth she felt as if she belonged here...

"Take care, and don't fool around, I don't want you to go back at the hospital, or worst, amongst the dead."

Pushing him gently, she gave him a slap in the back, nearly sending him on the ground. She stayed a little longer to have a drink and talk about what she would do now that she was back home. Above all, she needed to spend some times in the guild to fight with Jet and Droy, it was a way to say she'd missed them. Then drink at the counter and listen Mirajane's gossip too... And after, visit several studios for her garage. She had noticed a few ones, but she didn't want to buy without visiting. It could be an swindle. Then she left and head back home. Good timing, Gajeel had to dust off and tidy up his own house. With his plaster, it was a good sport!

During the next month, Gajeel and Levy almost never met. The journalist had recovered little by little and could go back to work, so it meant he was leaving in every corner of Edolas after an interval of two days. As for the young girl, she was busy to furnish her garage and she wasn't going out often. The rare times they had the chance to see each other in the town, it was always quick, they were exchanging a few politesses, but nothing more. It annoyed her, she had gotten used to his presence, and loved to tease him with her sadistic jokes. His absence was a loss she couldn't fill, despite all her other friends. Jet and Droy were there for a good fight of course, as well as the rest of the guild members, but it wasn't the same.

She saw him leaving his house this morning, as he went to Traya, a town thirty minutes away from here if you walked. Apparently, a car that could be Natsu's had knock down a tree on a house, and he had been in charge to go and see. Levy rubbed her hands inwardly. She could press Ashley, because if it was really Dragion who was originally the cause of this mess, she could make her do everything she desired, otherwise she'll ask Gajeel to publish an article about it. It was Machiavellian, but she was ready to do it.

The bluenette sighed as she stared at the journalist's house, then she went back to her garage, she had some cars to fix. However, despite this, she was bored. It was the first time she wanted to have a real conversation with someone, a man besides, well, rather a square! But the want to see Gajeel, to talk to him, to hear his voice, worsened as the days went by. She didn't like this, and yet she knew it was inevitable. She even began to doubt, maybe he was avoiding her, he didn't want to talk to her. And the next following minutes she was reasoning herself, telling herself that Gajeel was only too gallant for this. What an idiot, without realizing she had come closed to him and she'd eventually gotten used to the young man's presence, to the point she fell in love. It had to fall on her...

She needed to know if he felt the same now, her curiosity had to be satisfied even if it meant she had to defy a ban. So, determined, she left her garage and walked toward the journalist's house. She had the presence of mind to bring a few tools and she had no problem to force the door. He was going to yell at her, but she didn't care, she could always blame a thief instead, anyway he wasn't here. She burst into his room and opened the drawer where Gajeel put and classed all his notes. Since she had caught a glimpse of them the last time, she found them in no time. Searching amongst the papers and avoiding to scatter them not to have to put them back in order and waste more time, she caught the papers where the date of the day of their first meeting was written. She didn't like to read, fortunately his handwriting was clean and readable.

_Mirajane introduced one of her friends to me today, at the ball. Knowing her, she must have forced her to come, and had the idea to find her a partner. That's what her face told me. She seemed more annoyed than anything. Anyway, the said young girl's name is Levy. Levy Mcgarden. Her hair are strangely blue colored, held in place by a slightly eccentric ribbon. Let's say it was curious and __didn't fit her dress, considering its printed skulls... By the way the contrast between the two pieces of clothe was very funny, I instantly noticed she wasn't the kind of girl that like to dance and care about the boys. And I was right, because her passion is engineering. (Nota Bene: always follow our instinct!) After we danced, she told me she could come and fix my motorcycle the day after... I hope she will succeed, I think I can trust her for this despite her introvert temper, she seems to be a rigorous worker. And then, I think she is kind despite her tyrannical woman attitude. She appears cold and doesn't seem to like company, especially the men. However, she is pretty and could have a __lot of success if she wasn't rejecting the suitors with her harsh words. She is a Fairy Tail member, the famous guild that Faust was chasing when he had power. She must be very brave since she dared to resist him. Anyway, I just met a heck of a woman!_

How that _tyrannical_? The filthy liar! Apparently, mister the journalist was more daring with his pen than his voice. She would have a revenge when she'll see him. But for now, she had something else to do. As she read the papers, her eyes narrowed when she saw that he had written her age, her address, and even what she liked to do or eat! People she talked to, the last movies she saw, the flowers she liked so he could offered some to her, and he had even made a tool list she possessed in case she would lose one of them! At this level, it wasn't an investigation anymore, it was espionage! At least she could say he didn't like unfinished work.

However, as she was reading all those beautiful things he had written, her cheeks were tinted of red, and her heart was pounding faster and stronger. It was the truth, this strange list of everything she was doing was annoying her, but she couldn't help but tell herself that he had certainly had to spend a lot of time on it. She was feeling strange sensations in her belly, as if butterflies were whirling inside, and her hands were shaking. She was staring, hypnotized by the gracious curves composing his handsome handwriting, she didn't see its owner suddenly opening the bedroom door and he froze without a sound. And she didn't hear him walking closer in silence. Who was she kidding! He had barely come home and he discovered his door half open! The poor Gajeel nearly had a heart attack. He just had come home, but actually he had to leave soon again. Arms folded, he stood behind her, stamping discreetly, his lips turning into a scowl.

A faint cough broke her concentration and she dropped the paper she was reading. She tensed and turned around, and finally met two red eyes boring at her, filled with a wrath she never thought she'll see someday. She jumped violently and hit the chest of drawers when she wanted to step back, and before she could utter the lesser sound, Gajeel's hands burst out and slammed violently on the piece of furniture behind her, on each side of her body, to destroy any chance to escape. His features pulled into an annoyed snarl, he walked slowly, reducing her personal space to a tiny bubble and he burst it when Levy heard for the first time his voice fuelled with rage, frustration, and colder than ever. And yet, she was calm, despite the threat that was barely hidden.

"Can I know what you are doing here?"

"Er... I... I mean... none of your business!" The young girl stammered, disgusted with herself and her pitiful answer.

"On the contrary, I think I am personally involved. I thought I've already told you that I hate that someone search into my notes and I wouldn't tolerate this. So why did you disobey me, was it a promise too hard to respect for you?"

"Shut up! You maybe think I wasn't aware of this? I wanted to know, that's all..."

She might have spoken louder, but she didn't dare to hold his strangely sad glare, she was too ashamed. And yet, some part of his conscience ordered her to resist to punch that impertinent who dare use this tone with her. Except she knew she was wrong so she definitively couldn't do this. Ashamed like never before, she began to play conscientiously with the journalist's tie in order to find an excuse not to look at him, and also to try to swallow the tears that threatened to stream when she thought that the Gajeel who had complimented her so much in his article was now mad at her. She felt his glare piecing her, and it quickly became unbearable. And the pain in her throat due to her sadness hurt her even more when she heard his next words.

"Curiosity killed the cat. You disappoint me Levy."

"Speak about yourself, I was right to look, what's all those things you've written about me?"

His eyes narrowed and his lips curved into a scowl, unsure of what to say. He didn't want to lie, but if he told the truth, his humiliation would increase even more. However, she deserved it, this harsh tongue lashing. He was mad at her because he was horribly embarrassed too.

"You didn't have to break into my house!" He screamed.

He still preferred to change the subject, it was a good plan. Yes, he was acting cowardly, but he didn't want to waste the friendship he shared with Levy. Especially that they were walking a tightrope and they both were about to fall. Not to mention that the bluenette was also starting to get annoyed. She knew Gajeel was wondering why she was doing this, but she couldn't answer him. Well, not with words anyway.

Her hold on his tie tightened and a quick motion, she pulled down, forcing the young man's head to follow the movement. At the same time she looked up and without thinking her lips crashed on Gajeel's with passion, hoping it would be enough to calm his anger. The sensations she had felt earlier came back at full force, far more violent and greedier than before, but so much better. Her throat was dry, and she had the feeling that her heart was thundering inside her chest. However, still upset and now surprised, Gajeel resisted as best as he could and declared suddenly against her lips:

"If you think I'm going to forgive you with this..."

The young girl growled back and pulled him closer, pressing her mouth to his until it was hurting, but she didn't care, as long as he didn't talk. She didn't want to hear his voice full of resentment against her anymore, she didn't want him to throw her mistakes in the face anymore. For a long time he didn't move, but Levy felt him relax suddenly and little by little the anger left his movements when he reacted gently. His hands went from the piece of furniture to the young girl's hips to make her sit here and he closed the tiny space between their bodies. In a quick motion, she spread her legs and wrapped them around his waist, barely managing to hold back the moan which tried to escape her throat. Meanwhile, the journalist's lips, such warm and soft lips, perfectly seized for her, tried to make her moan again with an increasing fervor. A wave of warmth swept the young blue haired girl and a strange shiver shook her whole body, so violently that she jerked suddenly. With force, she pushed Gajeel and made him fall on top of the bed behind him. Before he could protest, she threw herself at him and possessed his lips once again, passionately and crazily, searching each other. Then her hands dug in the young man's curly hair she wanted to touch for so long. Gajeel straightened slowly at this moment and Levy took the opportunity to sit on his lap, removing slowly his shirt.

"Levy... I'm not sure it is a good idea." He suddenly stammered awkwardly in a shaking voice.

"I don't give a damn, shut up." The young girl growled back.

The bluenette's hands snaked toward the collar of his shirt and she pulled once again on his tie, the untied it slowly and throw it in a corner. His white shirt followed close behind and she traced the long white scar across his stomach with a fingertip, a memory from his fight against José. Scars were manly after all, and it was a proof he wasn't such a coward.

"I think we're going to have a good time you and I." She whispered in his ear as she pushed him on the bed, with a suggestive smile. "If you still want to talk about what I was doing earlier, you'll ask later."

He nodded shyly, he was too gallant to refuse. But, it wasn't only because of his gallantry, far from it... 

_Later___.___.._

Levy was watching the ceiling when Gajeel opened his eyes. Laying beside him, wrapped up warmly in the blanket, she hadn't left even a little bit of it for him. A simple glance at his clock told him he was late. Very late. He should have left for Sycca half an hour ago. In other word, at the time he had found the mechanic. Back then, it had left his mind.

"Oh my god." He moaned as he jumped out of the bed.

"Calm down, it doesn't matter." Levy answered.

"Maybe for you but not for me!"

Gathering hastily his stuffs that laid everywhere, he dressed quickly before he rushed at the bathroom. The young girl growled, frustrated by such agitation. When he came back he sat on the edge of the bed then he put his notebook in his jacket, she grabbed his shoulders and forced him to lay back again.

"Levy, I don't have the time, I'm going to miss my meeting, Jason is waiting for me there..."  
>She cut the rest of his sentence as she kissed him.<p>

"Always on a hurry, aren't you." She grunted as she took the key house from the journalist's pocket. "A little more and I couldn't have closed the door after you. And don't you think I'm going to stay here the whole day, waiting for you to come back!"

Gajeel smiled and returned shyly the kiss, then he stood and rush at the exit.

"Be careful Black Sheep, I don't want to pick you with a spoon."

"Don't worry, everything will be fine. See you tomorrow!"

Laid on her belly, she smiled and didn't look away from him until he was gone. She heard his motorcycle roar in the street and covered her head with a pillow. She rested five minutes then she'd go to the garage. Anyway, what just happened was far more than a "fucking". It was the beginning of a new adventure. An adventure two people could live. And it wasn't unpleasant at all. 

_To______Earthland:_

What a mess! Gajil had been shopping to get some clothes today. And worst of all, he had decided himself to go. No shitty gamble, no puppy eyes from Levi, no challenge to prove his resistance against the horrible boredom he was feeling when he usually did it. He still preferred the calm of the libraries rather than the girls' hysterical cries and the music, always too loud in this kind of shops. Shitty music by the way. He hated to waste his time in such a way, he had better things to do. But today, he had several reasons to go:

Firstly, someone (or rather himself) had torn his beautiful white costume during a fight, ignited in order to make him shut up while he was testing a new song.

Secondly, Levy had advised him to buy a black one, it would suit him better.

Thirdly, he just came back from a mission. He might not be rich despite this, but he had enough money to buy it.

So as a consequence he'd decided to come in that clothes store. At least, he knew what he was looking for, what a saving of time. Because usually, the girls were coming to see and searching amongst all those pile of fabrics, with no precise goal. By the way, most of the customers were watching him as if he was an alien. Yeah, even him was able to set foot here. Honestly, he'll never understand them. Fortunately they weren't at sale price! After some unfruitful trials, he found a nice black outfit with a white shirt and a red tie. Hey, had his Edolas counterpart bought his clothes here? Or had he inspired the designer maybe after meeting him by chance in the street, when he was in Magnolia? Gajil didn't know, but in any case, he loved this costume. And since he was bored to death, his choice wasn't difficult. Hang the three thousand Jewels it cost! He was taking this one. Quickly heading at the cashier desk, he paid with a satisfied smile and grabbed his little purchase as if he was afraid that the cashier took it back. He was going to make a surprise to Levi when he'll be back. Yes, a little while ago, she had moved at his place. His poor book collection, inaccessible for her until now, must have attracted her. The Dragon Slayer chuckled as he went unnoticed through the bedroom's open window. He changed himself quickly observant in the mirror to adjust some details, with a beaming smile. Then, without a noise, he opened the door and walked stealthily toward the kitchen where he smelled an appealing scent of food. He wasn't surprised to find Levi's back facing him. It's been two week they hadn't seen each others, so she couldn't except to see him. With a wild growl, he bounced on her, caught her wrists to prevent her to escape. As he predicted, she jumped violently and collide with him, yelping.

"Gajil! You've startled me!" She complained, pouting.

"Gihihihi, I've noticed." He snickered as he came closer a bit more, taking the advantage to nibble her neck and make her shiver.

Giggling, she turned around and her smile widened when she saw the iron mage's outfit.

"There." She said suddenly as she opened the buttons of his shirt, "You look better like this."

He didn't answer, but he didn't mind. If Levi thought he was cool like this, then he wouldn't change, but only for her. What a privilege. The blue haired mage kissed him tenderly by way of "welcome back" then she pushed him gently and headed for the living room before her partner's surprised eyes.

"I have something for you." She whispered and winked.

A surprise? He liked the surprises, especially coming from his shrimp. Her smile never fading, Levi came back, holding a familiar weird black hat, and she put it on a coffee table. It looked like the one his Edolas counterpart was wearing, but it wasn't supposed to be here, since the journalist had left with Edo-Levy a little while ago.

"Where did you find it?" Gajil asked, his eyes widening.

"Lucy brought it to me. She found it near the place where our counterparts left during a mission. She recognized it and told me to give it to you."

Ah yes, he had seen this mission (the hippie they had defeated the first time had struck again dealing some plants he wasn't supposed to possess), but Natsu had taken it before him. Too bad, even if it wasn't dramatic. Watching and turning his friend's hat between his hands, he was wondering if something hadn't happened to him. He would have never thrown his hat away. He would have liked to see him again, hoped it even, but deep down he knew Edo-Gajeel was happier in Edolas rather than here.

"I'm going to keep it, my other self won't have to worry, his hat is in good hands." Gajil declared as he put it on his head.

His costume was complete now, he would wear it to sing and at least, this hat would bring him luck. He was sure of it. Levi smiled and kissed his cheek. Yes, his double didn't have to worry about his beloved headgear, because as the Dragon Slayer said, it was in good hands.


End file.
